kingdome and railed against such as he had no power ouer Antipater increased this mischiefe more and more and gathering togither a great company of his friends he omitted no kind of calumniation The king likewise was terrified by the rumours tales of pickthanks that he thought alwaies that he saw Alexander before him with a drawen sword For which cause he sodainly tooke him and cast him in prison and tortured his friends many of which died in torments because they would not confesse more then in conscience was true others not able to endure the torments were forced to confesse that Alexander and his brother Aristobulus thought to haue wrought treason against their father that they expected their time till he went a hunting resolued in themselues that hauing killed him they would presently flie to Rome Although these and such like calumniations were nowaies probable yet extremitie of paine forced men extempore to inuent them and the king willingly beleeued them as it were comforting himselfe thereby in that he might not be thought to haue imprisoned his sonne vn◅stly Alexander perceluing that it was vnpossible for him to abolish his fathers suspition thought it better to yeeld hi◅selfe guiltio and so wrote foure bookes against his aduersaries and confessed the treason affirming that he had many partakers therein namely Pheroras Salome who were the chiefe auouching that before that time he had had the vse of her body in the night time and how though he himselfe was vnwilling yet she forced him thereunto Now the bookes came vnto Herods hands which charged the greatest amongst the nobilitie with most hainous matters Archelaus fearing his son in law and daughter to be in great danger speedily came into Iudaea and ingeniously appeased the kings wrath for so soone as he came vnto Herod he cried where is that wicked son in law of mine or where may I see the face of that wre◅h that goeth about to murther his father that I may teare him in peeces with mine own hands marrie my daughter anew to a better husband for although she be not priuie to his cou◅sell yet is she defiled for that she was wife to such a man Nay I admire thy patience who art in such daunger and sufferest Alexander yet to liue for I came thus hastily out of Cappadocia thinking he had beene put to death to talke with thee concerning my daughter whom I maried to him for thy sake and honour Wherefore now let vs take counsell what to do with them both and seeing thouart too father like and not able to punish thy sonne thy ◅echerous sonne let vs chaunge roumes and let me be in t◅y place to reuenge thee with such like inuections he deceiued Herode though otherwise firme in his purpose Then Herode shewed him the bookes that Alexander had writ and reading euery chapter with deliberation Archelaus tooke occasion fit for his purpose and by little and little laid al the fault on Pheroras and those that were accused in the booke And perceiuing the king to giue eare vnto him let vs quoth he consider whether the young man was not circumuented by the trechery of so many lewde persens and not thou by the yong man for there appeares no cause why he should fall into such wickednes who now enioyed the kingdome and hoped to succeed thee therein had he not beene perswaded thereto by other men who seeing him a young man entised him vnto such naughtines For we see that through such men not onely young men but also olde men and most noble families yea and whole kingdomes are ruinated Herode vpon these speeches began somewhat to relent so that he appeased his wrath toward Alexāder encreased it towards Pheroras for he was as it were the subiect of the whole booke Who perceiuing the king so to trust vnto Archelaus friendship that he was lead by him to do what he pleased leauing Alexander he in humble manner came to Archelaus seeking impudently for succour at his hands of whom he had not deserued any fauour Archelaus answered him that he knew no waies to obtaine his pardon who was guiltie of so hainous crimes and conuicted manifestly to haue practised high treason against the kings owne person and to be the cause of all these miseries that had now befallen the young man except that he would lay aside all subtle dealing and denying of his fact and confesse the crimes wherof he was accused and so in humble wise go vnto his brother who loued him dearely and craue pardon promising him that if he would so do he would do him what good he could Hereupon Pheroras obeyed Archelaus his counsell and putting on a blacke attire he in pitifull maner and with teares prostrated himselfe at Herodes feete and crauing pardon obtained it confessing himselfe to be a most wicked and vile person and to be guiltie of al that which was obiected against him and that the cause which moued him to do al those things was the franticke and madde fits he fell into for the loue of that woman Now when Pheroras became his owne accuser a witnesse against himselfe then Archelaus endeuored to mitigate Herodes wrath towards him and excuse his faultes with fit examples for he alleaged that his brother attempted greater matters against him whom notwithstanding for natures cause he pardoned adding that in euery kingdome as in mightie bodies alwaies some part began to swell which notwithstanding was not presently to be cut off but to be cured by easie means Archelaus vsing many speeches vnto Herod to this purpose at last quite appeased his wrath toward Pheroras still counterfaiting himselfe to be angrie with Alexander affirming that he would take his daughter away with him till at last he forced Herode of his owne accord to entreat for the yong man requesting him again to despouse his daughter vnto him Archelaus after much entreatie answered that he was willing the king should bestow his daughter vpō any saue Alexander for he greatly esteemed the law of affinity Herod replied that if he did not diuorce his daughter from Alexander he should thinke that he bestowed his sonne vpon him for they had no children and his daughter was dearely loued of the young man so that if he would permit her to stay still there for her sake he would pardon all Alexanders offences Heereto Archelaus with much ado agreed and so was reconciled vnto his sonne in law and he vnto his father Yet Herode affirmed that he must needs be sent to Rome to speake with Caesar for he had written the whole matter vnto Caesar. Thus Archelaus craftily deliuered his sonne in law from daunger and after this reconciliation was made they spent the time in feasting and mirth Vpon Archelaus departure Herode gaue him seuentie talents and a throne of pure gold adorned with precious stones and Eunuches and a concubine named Pannychis and rewarded euery one of his
to a Pomgranate cut in the middest to which there is annexed and groweth a round couer as if turned and framed on purpose hauing those eminent clefts as I said like to the midst of a Pomgranate resembling the pointed and sharp thornes and pricking blades Now it contayneth a certaine fruit vnder the couer and in the whole cup is like to the seed of the herbe Sideritis his flower is not much vnlike that which springeth from the poppey Such was this crowne about the necke and the two Temples for these cups came not neere the front or brow For on the same there was as it were a bend of gold on which the name of God was engrauen Such were the ornaments of the high priest I cannot therfore but greatly wonder at the strange and causelesse malice which other nations haue conceiued against vs as if we were iniurious against the diuine maiestie which they say they so much honour For if a man marke the composition of the Tabernacle and examine the habit of the high priest and consider all the necessaries which we vse in celebrating the diuine seruice they shall find that our lawmaker was a man of a diuine spirit and that we without any desert are iniuried by other nations For if without partialitie a man will duely examine it he shall find that all things haue beene done to represent and figure the world For the Tabernacle is of thirtie cubits diuided into three parts whereof two are left for the sacrificers as a place prophaned and common signifying the land and sea wherein all sorts of creatures are conuersant But the third part is sequestred and reserued for God alone in like sort as the heauen is vnaccessible by men The table on which the twelue loaues were placed signifieth the yeare diuided into twelue moneths The candlestick made of seuentie pieces signifieth the twelue signes thorow which euery one of the seuen planets passe the seuen lampes that were therein represented the seuen planets The vailes made of foure seuerall kinds of stuffes resembled the foure Elements For the linnen seemed to represent the earth from whence it was drawen and deriued The purple resembled the sea because the purple colour is made of the bloud of a shell fish called Murex The Hyacinth signifieth the ayre and as touching the Scarlet it signifieth the fire The tunicle likewise of the high priest demonstrateth the earth for it is made of linnen The Hyacinth sheweth the pole the Pomgranates resembled the lightning as the bels the noyse of the thunder The sircot sheweth that the whole world is compassed of foure Elements resembled in his foure colours to which gold is annexed as I interprete it for that light is annexed to all things Essen also is planted in the middle thereof in such sort as the earth obtaineth the middle place of the world Likewise the girdle wherewith he is girt resembleth the sea which enfoldeth and begirteth all things The two Sardonix stones set as buttons or loops in the high Priests garment signifie the Sunne and Moone the number of the gems are alluded to the number of the moneths or the twelue houses or the equall number of the parts of that circle which the Graecians call the Zodiacke he shall not much erre that followeth eyther the one or the other of these opinions The cap likewise hath an allusion to heauen by reason of his azure or Hyacinthine colour for otherwise the name of God might not be placed therein For it was beautified with a crowne of gold to signifie the light wherein God highly delighteth Let this suffice for the present for that which we shall discourse hereafter will furnish vs with sufficient and ample matter to shew and set out the vertue of our lawmaker CHAP. IX Of Aarons priesthood and the lawes which appertaine to the feastes and sacrifices AFter these things abouesaid were finished and left as yet vnconsecrated God appeared vnto Moses commaunding him to establish Aaron his brother in the priesthood who in respect of his vertue deserued that title of honour aboue all the rest For which cause Moses assembling the congregation discoursed vnto them his vertues and discouered his good affection and reckoned vp vnto them how many daungers he had suffered in their behalfe whereof each of them gaue ample testimonie declaring the forward zeale and loue they alwaies bare vnto him whereupon he spake vnto them after this manner The worke is now brought to such an end as it hath pleased God and hath beene possible for vs and for that you know we are to receiue him into this Tabernacle we ought aboue all things to haue an especiall care in the election of such a one who shall make sacrifice and supplication for vs. Touching my selfe if the matter depended on my priuate choise I should esteeme no man more worthy then my selfe to execute this function both for that naturally men loue themselues and for that I am well assured how many trauels I haue supported for your safetie sake But God himselfe hath iudged Aaron worthy of this honour and hath chosen him for his high priest and sacrificer in that he excelleth all other of vs in equitie and iustice commaunding that he should be inuested with the robe consecrated to God and that he should take charge of the altars and sacrifices He shall make prayers for you vnto God who will heare them willingly by reason that he hath care of your race and will receiue them proceeding from a personage whom he himselfe had elected These words of his were gratefull vnto the people and they all of them approued the election which God had made For Aaron was more capable of that honour then any other both by reason of his race as also in regard of the prophecing spirit and vertue of his brother he had at that time foure sonnes Nadab Abihu Eleasar and Ithamar But whatsoeuer remained of those things which were gathered for the building of the Tabernacle was employed to make vailes to couer the Tabernacle Candlesticke Altar and the other instruments to the end that in their trauaile they should not be soiled eyther by raine or dust And hauing once more assembled the people together he commaunded them to offer euerie one of them halfe a sicle now the sicle is a kind of Hebrew coyne that is as much in value as foure Athenian drammes whereunto they obeyed willingly so that the number of them that offered was sixe times one hundreth thousand fiue hundreth and fiftie and they that brought this money were such as were of a free condition and betwixt the yeares of twentie and fiftie and that which was receiued was imployed in the necessaries of the Temple Then did he purifie the Tabernacle and the priests in manner and forme following He tooke the waight of fiue hundreth sicles of chosen Mirrhe and the like quantitie of Ireos of Cinnamon and of Calamus which is a
expressing their affection therein not onely in outward shew but also with their whole power labouring what they might that surprising him they might deliuer him to the kings hands But their iniust desire had as infortunate successe who being to incurre no perill by concealing him from pursuit promised to betray into the kings hands thorow adulation and auarice a man that was both vertuous and wrongfully persecuted to death by his enemies For Dauid being made priuie to their malice and ascertained of the Kings approch leauing those narrow streights wherin they then incamped escaped to a certaine rocke which is situate in the desarts of Simon Neither desisted Saul to pursue him for knowing by the way that he had ouercome the streights he came to the other side of the rock Dauid had surely both bin taken and circumuented had not the king beene reuoked by fearfull tidings which assured him that the Palestines had forcibly entred and spoiled his kingdome For he thought it more conuenient to reuenge himselfe on those his hostile and sworne enemies and to giue succour to his countrey and people being ready to be spoiled and wasted then vnder desire to lay hands on a priuate enemie to betray both his countrie subiects to their swords and thus was Dauid saued beyond all expectation and retired himselfe to the streights of Engaddi But after that Saul had repulsed the Palestines certaine newes was brought him that Dauid dwelt in the streights of Engaddi whereupon presently taking with him three thousand of the choisest men in all his armie heled them speedily to the forenamed place and being not farre from thence he perceiued neere vnto the high way a deepe hollowe large long and open caue whereas Dauid with his foure hundreth men might be hidden and descended himselfe alone into the caue to disburthen the necessities of nature This was presently discouered by one of Dauids followers who told him that God had presented him a fit oportunitie to reuenge him on his enimie and counselled him to cut off Sauls head and discharge himselfe thereby of much trouble and torment who arising and finding him out onely cut off the lap of the vesture wherewith Saul was attired and presently thereupon repented himself saying that it were a wicked deed in him to kil his lord whom God by election had raised to the estate of Maiestie and Empire For said he although he be vniust toward me yet ought I not to be iniurious towards him But when Saul was issued out of the caue Dauid went out after and cried with a loud voice beseeching Saul that he would giue him audience who turning backe vnto him he cast himselfe prostrate before his feete and humbled him on his face according to the custome and spake after this manner How vnworthie is it for thee O King that opening thy eares to scandalous backbiters and giuing trust and credit to vaine loose men thou suspectest thy most tried friends whom thou rather oughtest to iudge by their sincere and vpright actions for words may be either false or true but the mind may be discouered by none more apparant arguments then by mens actions as at this present thou maist iudge whether thou hast rashly beleeued them that make me guiltie before thy Maiestie of that crime that was neuer yet so much as thought vpon and haue so much exasperated thee against me that day and night thou thinkest on nothing more then my destruction Seest thou not now how vaine thy opinion is whereby they perswade thee that I am an enimie of thy house and earnestly desirous of thy death Or with what eies thinkest thou doth God behold thy crueltie who requirest his death who hauing occasion and opportunitie offered him to be reuenged on thee spareth thy life whose life were it in thy hands were assuredly lost for as easily might I haue cut off thy head as this lap of thy garment and therewithall in confirmation of his words he shewed it him yet did I forbeare this iust reuenge yet contrariwise art not thou afraid to exercise thy vniust tyrannies against me But God shall beare witnesse hereof and shall approue which of vs both are of more peaceable behauiours Saul amased to see how straungely his life had beene preserued and rauished to consider the naturall mildnes and moderation in Dauid began to weepe and Dauid wept also but Saul said that he had greater cause to lament then he For said he by thy meanes haue I receiued many benefits and thou at my hands hast been repaid with infinit iniuries This day hast thou testified that thou retainest the ancient iustice of thy progenitors who commaunded that their enemies should be dismissed with life at such time as they were surprised in the desart now am I thorowly perswaded that God hath reserued the kingdome for thee and that the Empire of all the Hebrewes attendeth thee Assure thou me therefore by an oth that thou wilt not exterminate my race neither remember thee of those iniuries I haue done vnto thee but that sparing my posteritie thou warrantise and keepe them vnder thy protection Dauid sware vnto him according as he had required and suffered him to returne into his Realme and both he and his companies retired themselues to the streights of Maspha About the same time died Samuel the Prophet a man who by his merit was in great estimation amongst the Hebrewes the famous testimonie of whose vertue and the peoples obseruation towards him was expressed in this in that they celebrated his funerall and set out his sepulcher with great pompe and when they had performed his rites they buried him in Ramath his countrey and lamented him many daies not after the manner of a common or forraine misery but as if each one of them had in particular a preiudice and losse to lament for For he was a man that was naturally framed to all iustice and goodnes and for these his vertues most acceptable vnto God He gouerned the people after the death of Eli the high Priest first in his owne person for the space of twelue yeares and afterwards during the raigne of Saul eighteene yeares whose death hapned as I said about this time But in those places where Dauid at that time remained there was a certaine Ziphian in a towne called Emma a man verie rich and Lord of much cattell For he had a troupe of three thousand sheepe and a heard of a thousand Goats On these did Dauid commaund his people to commit no waste neither thorow desire nor necessitie nor hope of concealement they should doe him any hurt Charging them moreouer that they should offer no wrong vnto any man because that to violate and take another mans goods was both vnlawfull and wicked and contrarie to Gods commandement Hee instructed them in this sort imagining with himselfe that he should gratifie a good man and such a one as deserued to be in like sort fauoured but
and incensed the one against the other That their brother Azael was in the fault because that although he had exhorted him to cease from running after him yet could he not perswade him and that for the same cause he had both stroken and slaine him Ioab wisely disgesting these his sayings and accepting of them as of holesome and friendly aduertisements and counsailes he commanded the trumpet to sound retreat and surceased to pursue them any more and encamped for that night in the same place during which time Abner trauelled without ceasing and hauing past ouer Iordan returned to his campe to Isboseth Sauls sonne The next day Ioab suruaied the dead and caused them to be buried Those that were found dead on Abners side were about three hundreth and sixtie men and on Dauids side nineteene ouer and besides Azael whose body Ioab and Abisai tooke with them and carried it vnto Bethleem and after they had enterred it in the toomb of their auncestors they repaired to Hebron vnto Dauid From that time forward there arose a ciuill warre amongst the Hebrewes that endured a long time in which Dauids followers had alwaies the vpper hand and neuer aduentured the hazard of the field without returning with some aduentage whereas the sonne of Saul and his partakers had almost euerie day the worse Dauid at that time had sixe sons by so many wiues the eldest of them was called Ammon the sonne of Achimaas the second was Daniel the sonne of Abigal the third was called Absolon the sonne of Machama the daughter of Ptolomey king of Gessur the fourth was Adomas the sonne of his wife called Aggite the fift and the sixt were called Gerthessa and Gala. But after this ciuill warre was begunne and that the kings on both sides had oftentimes encountred and fought togither Abner generall of the armie for king Sauls sonne a prudentman and one that was beloued by the people endeuored all that in him lay that the whole country might be commanded by Isboseth and in effect they all submitted vnto him for a certaine time but when as it afterwards fell out that Abner was charged and accused to haue kept company with Rispa Sauls concubine the daughter of Sibath and that Isboseth likewise had reproued him for the same cause he conceiued a great griefe and despite supposing that he had great iniury done vnto him considering how carefull he had beene and was of the kings estate for which cause he threatned him to establish the kingdome to Dauid and to make him know that it was neither his vertue nor prudence that made him soueraigne ouer the tribes on that side Iordan but that his faith and warlike conduct was the cause thereof For which cause he sent vnto Hebron to Dauid requiring him by an oth to accept of him as his confederate and friend promising him to perswade the people to forsake Sauls sonne and to proclaime him king of the whole region Dauid sware vnto him according as he had required and was verie glad of that embassage that Abner had sent vnto him and the rather for that vnder assured testimonie of their accords he had preserued Michol Dauids wife whom he had purchased with the price of diuers great daungers and with sixe hundreth heads of the Philistines presented to his father Saul to the end he might enioy her which Michol Abner had sent him backe hauing taken her from Phalti who had since that time espoused her whereunto Isboseth also was assistant to whom Dauid had written that it was reason that he should recouer his wife Abner therfore assembled all the elders and gouernours of the people and told them that at such time as heretofore they were readie to forsake Isboseth to submit themselues to Dauid he had disswaded them from that intent but at this present if they had the will hee vvould condescend vnto them because he was assured that God had chosen Dauid by the mouth of Samuel the Prophet to be king ouer all the Hebrewes and had foretold that he should punish the Philistines and should ouercome them and bring them vnder his subiection Which when the elders and gouernours vnderstood and were assured likewise that Abner would subscribe to their resolution as touching the estate they all of them determined to submit themselues to Dauid Abner seeing them thus resolued did afterwards assemble all the tribe of Beniamin out of which the archers of Isboseths guard were chosen and told them the like and perceiuing that they contradicted him no waies but submitted themselues vnto his pleasure he gathered about twentie of his familiar friends and resorted vnto Dauid to receiue in his owne person Dauids oth Both for that each man in his owne affaires reposeth greatest confidence in himselfe as also to giue him intelligence what speech he had held with the elders and the whole tribe Dauid receiued and entertained him very kindly and magnificently and sumptuously feasted him at his table for many daies praying him that he would depart and returne and bring the people with him to the end that in their presence and sight he might deliuer him the gouernment When Dauid had dismissed Abner some little time after his departure Ioab the generall of Dauids armie came to Hebron and knowing that Abner had beene with Dauid and that but some little time before he was departed from him with accords and promises made vnto him that he should be gouernour he feared least that if Dauid should place him in honour and dignitie and should make Abner who was a man otherwaies exercised in affaires and politique to preuent occasions as it were his companion in the kingdome that the said Ioab should be degraded and depriued of his office he tooke vpon him a cursed and froward resolution For first of all he laboured to detract and make him odious in the kings eare counselling him to stand on his guard and not to giue eare vnto Abners promises who vnder colour subtiltie sought to establish the kingdome vnto Sauls sonne alledging that he came vnto him vnder colour and caâ—…tele intending then to leaue him when his hopes were satisfied and affaires disposed But perceiuing that these his subtilties tooke little effect with Dauid and considering with himselfe likewise that he moued him in no sort he attempted a more perilous exploit then the former For resoluing with himselfe to kill Abner he sent out certaine men after him whom he gaue in commission that as soone as they should ouertake him they should vrge their interparlee in the name of Dauid alledging that they had something to communicate with him as touching the estate which he had forgot to certifie him of When Abner had heard the words of these messengers who ouertooke him in a place called Besira some twentie furlongs off of Hebron he strooke out of the way without suspition of his future desaster Ioab going before him embraced him with great loue and like an
their messengers to euerie corporation aduertising them how many benefits they had receiued at Dauids hands and how after many and grieuous warres he had brought them to a secure libertie and how iniustly expelling him they had committed the kingdome vnto another For which cause it behooued them that since he was dead whom they had chosen to make their supplication and submission vnto Dauid that dismissing his wrath he would receiue the people into his fauour and according as before time so now also he would vouchsafe them his pardon and protection Of these things sundry intelligences came vnto the kings eares so that by expresse letters he commanded Sadoc and Abiathar the chiefe priests that they should certifie the princes of the tribe of Iuda that it should be a great indignitie for them that other tribes should preferre Dauid to the kingdome before them especially since he was both of their tribe and their kinsman also In like manner he commanded them to speake with Amasa the generall and expostulate with him why hee who was his Nephew by the sisters side did not perswade the army to recommend the kingdome to his hands willing them to assure him that he was not only to hope for pardon for that which had hapned but also for the gouernment of the whole army according as Absalon had granted him Hereupon the high priests not only conferred with the princes aforesaid but also informing Amasa what the king had promised in his behalfe wherby they drew him to their faction And first of all those of his owne tribe reuoked Dauid very instantly into the kingdome the rest of the Israelites by their example and Amasas authoritie did the like also and these embassadors flocked vnto him to receiue him into Ierusalem But wonderfull and praiseworthy was the diligence of the tribe of Iuda who went out as far as the banke of Iordan to meete with him with these came Simei the sonne of Gera with a thousand men which he had brought with him of the tribe of Beniamin Siba likewise Sauls freeman came thither with his fifteene sonnes and twentie seruants who made a bridge ouer Iordan that the king might the more easily passe ouer both himselfe and his armie As soone as he came vnto Iordan he was saluted by the tribe of Iuda and Simei marching onward on the bridge prostrating himselfe at the kings feete asked pardon of his offences and besought him to remit his displeasure and that in recouering his authoritie he would not first of all doe iustice on him but that he should remember this also that he being induced by the repentance of his errour did with the formost march out to meet him vpon his returne Whilest thus he besought and lamented Abisai Ioabs brother spake after this manner Why should he not die that hath thus villanously outraged the King whom God hath established But Dauid turned backe vnto him and said yee sons of Seruia will you neuer cease to hatch new troubles and to adde newe diuisions to your former commotions Know you not that this is the first day of my raigne for which cause I sweare an oth that I will pardon all them that haue committed any impietie against me and that no one man shall depart from me in my disfauour For which cause be of good cheere Simei feare thou not that I wil seeke thy bloud Whereupon he adored the King marched onward before him After this Mephiboseth Sauls nephew came out to meete him cloathed in a desolate sorie rayment hauing his haires hanging down in a neglected and sorrowful manner For since the time that Dauid fled fosooke the citie he had in such sort beene distressed that he neither had trimmed his haire nor changed or cleansed his garment supposing this calamity deposition to touch him as neerly as it did the king and further in that by Siba his steward he had beene vniustly detracted accused to the king After he had prostrated himselfe and adored the king Dauid asked him for what cause he forsooke him in his troubles and offered not himselfe to accompanie him in his flight Who answered that it was the wickednes of Siba who was the cause thereof for he said he being commaunded to prepare my necessaries for that iourney neglected the execution thereof contemning both me and it as if I had beene some abiect slaue Otherwise had I had the vse of my feete and the meanes to haue waited on thee in thy iourney I had neuer endured to haue forsaken thee Neither was he contented my liege to hinder my deuout seruice towards thee but furthermore he hath maliciously incensed your maiestie against me yet know I well that your wisedome will not admit or giue credence to his detractions both for that you are iust as also for that God and truth which you onely aspire to are onely beloued by you For whereas during my grandfathers daies you were alwaies conuersant amongst the most difficult dangers and followed and attempted by him and whereas all our posteritie by that meanes deserued to be vtterly extinguished yet haue you vsed both moderation and meeknes especially in forgetting those indignities at such time as the memorie thereof affoorded you meanes to punish them And notwithstanding all these things you haue entertained me like your friend feasted me at your dailie table and dignified me with no lesse honours then if I had beene one of your neerest and deerest kinsmen When Dauid had heard these things he neither thought good to punish Mephiboseth neither to examine whether Siba had wrongfully accused him but after he had certified him that he had giuen Siba all his goods yet did he pardon him and promise him the restitution of halfe his possessions Whereunto Mephiboseth replied Let Siba saith he possesse the whole it onely sufficeth me that I see your maiestie restored againe into your kingdome After this Dauid inuited Berzillai the Galaadite a vertuous man and of great authoritie and by whose bountie during the time of his warre he was assisted and who had attended him as farre as Iordan to accompanie him vnto Ierusalem promising him to make no lesse account of him then of his father and assuring him liberally to allow him in all things that concerned his honour and age But he being desirous to liue in priuate besought his maiestie to dismisse him from the court because as he said his age was so extreme as it made him vnapt for courtly pleasures considering that he had attained to the age of fourescore yeares alledging that it better became him to thinke of death and the departure out of this world For which cause he besought Dauid to fauour him so much as that he might gouerne himselfe according to his own desire because that by reason of his age he neither knew howe to sauour meate nor drinke besides for that his hearing was lost so that he could not distinguish nor discerne the
twenty and three yeers olde who raigned in Ierusalem his mothers name was Ametala he was a man full of impietie and of a malignant and peruerse nature The King of Aegypt returning from the warre sent vnto Ioaz commanding him to meet with him in Samath a Citie of Syria where he was no sooner arriued but he kept him prisoner committing the kingdome to Eliacim his brother on the fathers side who was his elder brother likewise He changed his name also and called him Ioachim he imposed atribute also on Iudaea of one hundreth talents of siluer and a talent of golde which Ioachim paid And as touching Ioaz hee led him into Aegypt where he finished his daies after he had been king three moneths and ten daies Now Ioachims mother was called Zabuda of the Citie of Abuma He was a wicked person and of a malignant nature hauing neither pietie towardes God nor respect of equitie towardes men CHAP. VI. Nabuchodonosors army commeth into Syria IN the fourth yeere of his raigne a certaine man called Nabuchodonosor possessed the kingdome of Babylon who at that time went out with a great army against Carchabesa a Citie scituate neere vnto Euphrates resoluing with himselfe to fight against Nechao king of Aegypt vnder whose power all Syria was subiect Nechao vnderstanding of the Babylonians intent and how great his army was made verie little account thereof but with a huge army addressed himselfe towards Euphrates with an intent to repulse Nabuchodonosor But he was ouercome in battell and lost diuers thousands of his men Whereupon the Babylonian passing Euphrates seazed all Syria as far as Pelusium Iudaea onely excepted The fourth yeere that Nabuchodonosor raigned ouer these conquered countries the eight yeere of the raigne of Ioachim ouer the Hebrewes the Babylonians led forth his army against the Iewes with a mightie power threatning them to vse al hostility except Ioachim would pay him tribute Ioachim fearing his threats bought his peace with siluer and paid him for three yeers space the tributes that were imposed on him But in the third yeere vnderstanding that the Aegyptian was vp in armes against the Babylonian he denied the paiment of the tribute notwithstanding he was frustrated of his hope for the Aegyptians were not so hardy as to make warre All which the Prophet Ieremy daily foretold him signifying vnto him that he builded his hope in vaine vpon the Aegyptians and that it would fall out that the Citie should be ouerthrowne by the king of Babylon and Ioachim himselfe should be deliuered prisoner into his hands But because there was no meanes for them to escape this iustice all that which he said was nothing auailable For notwithstanding the people and gouernours heard thereof yet made they no reckoning of the same but were displeased with those counsailes which he proposed vnto them accusing Ieremy as if he tooke pleasure to vtter and publish ominous and aduerse presages against the king they likewise called him in question before the kings counsaile and required that he might be condemned Whereupon some of them gaue sentence against him the rest reproouing the aduise of the elders that were thus addicted tooke a more discreete course and caused the Prophet to depart out of the kings house forbidding his aduersaries to doe him any mischiefe they protesting that he had not only foretolde the future calamities of the city but that many before him had done the like as Micheas and diuers others yet that no one of them had suffered any euill by the kings of their time but that contrariwise Micheas had been honoured as a Prophet sent from God By these words they appeased the people and deliuered Ieremy from the death intended against him This man wrote all his prophecies and red them to the people in their fasts and assembled them in the temple in the ninth moneth of the fifth yeere of the raigne of Ioachim which booke he had composed touching that which should happen vnto the Citie the temple and the people When the gouernours heard the same they tooke the booke from him and commanded that both he and his secretarie Baruch should withdraw themselues out of the sight of men and they tooke the booke and presented it vnto the king who in the presence of his friends commanded his secretarie to reade the same and after he had heard the contents thereof he waxed wondrous wroth and renting it in pieces cast it into the fire intending that it should neuer be seene He sent out likewise a strickt commission to seeke out Ieremy and his secretarie Baruch and to lead them out to be punished But they had preuented his indignation CHAP. VII Nabuchodonosor putteth Ioachim to death and establisheth Ioachin in the kingdome NOt long after this he went out to meete the king of Babylon who was marched out to make warre against him and being incredulous and carelesse of the Prophets predictions he opened the gates vnto him supposing that he intended him no euill But when the Babylonians were entred into the Citie the King obserued not his promises but put all such to death as were in the flower and beautie of their yeeres and spared none of the inhabitants of Ierusalem with them also he slew their king Ioachim and caused his body to be cast from the toppe of the wals and vouchsafed him no sepulture establishing Ioachin his sonne King of the countrey and of the citie Moreouer he tooke three thousand of the most honourable Citizens of Ierusalem prisoners and led them to Babylon with him amongst whom was the Prophet Ezechiel at that time very yoong in yeers This was the end of king Ioachim who liued thirty six yeeres and raigned eleuen Ioachin that succeeded him in the kingdome was the sonne of Nosta of Ierusalem and raigned three moneths and ten daies CHAP. VIII Nabuchodonosor changeth his purpose and besiegeth Ioachin and receiueth him vnder composition AS soone as the Babylonian had bestowed the kingdome of Iudaea on Ioachin he was seazed with a sodaine feare which made him suspect least Ioachin remembring himselfe of the iniuries he had done vnto him by the murther of his father might draw the countrey into rebellion and reuolt against him For which cause he sent out certaine forces and besieged Ioachin in Ierusalem who being a man of a good nature and of an vpright heart was loth to forsake the Citie in that danger without a gouernour considering that it was for his cause that the common weale was in that hazard For which cause taking his wife and his neerest akin with him he deliuered them into the hands of the captaines that were sent against him receiuing an oth from them that neither they nor the Citie should receiue any harme But this promise continued not a yeere for the King of Babylon obserued it not but commanded his captaines to imprison all the youth and artificers that were in the Citie and to bring
out to fight against Ptolomey who sodainly setting vpon Azoch a city of Galilee on a Sabboth day tooke it by force and led away from thence ten thousand prisoners and a great quantitie of other booty CHAP. XXI How Ptolomey Lathyrus fought against Alexander and obtained the victorie HE afterwards set vpon Sephor a Citie neere vnto Azoch from whence he departed with the losse of many men with an intent to fight with Alexander who came foorth to make head against him and met with him neere vnto Iordan in a place called Asophon and encamped right ouer against the enemy He had in his vantgard eight thousand men whom he called Combattants by the Hundreths who carried brazen bucklers Ptolomies foreward also had bucklers after the same fashion who perceiuing themselues to be inferiours in other points deferred the charge and were loath to hazard battell But Philostephanus the campe master did not a little encourage them For he caused them to passe the floud hard by which they were encamped neither would he hinder Alexander from passing the same making his account that if the enemies had the riuer on their backs he should be the more assured of them that they should not warrantize themselues from the fight In the beginning of the skirmish each one of them fought with answerable valour so that a great number of them fell on both sides But Philostephanus perceiuing that Alexanders army had the better he tooke a part of his followers and speedily seconded those who were ready to retire themselues The wing of the Iewes vanguard that saw themselues freshly charged and not succoured by any meanes began to flie and so far were those that marched next them from yeelding them assistance that contrariwise all of them became partners in one shamefull flight But they of Ptolomies side behaued themselues farre otherwise for they pursued and flewe them and after they had wholy disarraied them they charged them so hotly that they blunted their weapons and wearied their armes with killing them It is reported that thirtie thousand men were slaine in the battell Timagenes saith fiftie thousand as for the rest some of them were taken prisoners and other some fled vnto their houses After that Ptolomey had obtained this victorie he ouerranne and spoyled the whole countrey and in the euening he quartered himselfe in certaine villages of Iudaea which he found full of women and children and commanded his souldiers without respect of person to cut their throats and to chop them into pieces and afterwards to cast the morsels into a boiling cauldron and when they were well fod to eate the same All which he acted to the intent that they that were fled from the battell and retired to their owne habitations should know that their enemies would eate mans flesh that by this meanes they might redoubt them the more when they should behold them Strabo and Nicholas report that they demeaned themselues after this maner as I haue declared And Ptolomey tooke Ptolemais also by force as I haue made knowne els where But Cleopatra perceiuing how her sonne prospered and how he had spoiled Iewry without any preiudice and subiected the Citie of Gaza to his commaund she concluded with her selfe that she ought not to suffer him to increase after that manner considering it was vpon the borders of Aegypt whose soueraignty he affected For which cause she sodainly marched out against him with an army both by sea and land committing the command of her whole sorces to Chelcias and Ananias both Iewes and sent the greater part of her riches into the Isle of Coos with her nephewes and her testament to be reserued and kept there in saseue And after she had commanded her sonne Alexander to set saile toward Phoenicia with a great nauy because the inhabitants of that countrey were reuolted from her obeisance she her selfe departed and came to Ptolemais and besieged it when she perceiued that they refused to grant her entry Ptolomey made hast to depart out of Syria and to enter Aegypt hoping to be lord thereof at one time when he should find the countrey disfurnished of men of warre But his purpose failed him At that time it fortuned that Chelcias one of the two Generals of Cleopatras army died in Coelesyria being in pursuit of Ptolomey Cleopatra hauing tydings of her sonnes enterprise and that the successe and fortune he expected in Aegypt had failed him she sent part of her army to driue him out of the countrey so that he was enforced to returne backe againe out of Aegypt and to go and spend his winter at Gaza Meane while Cleopatra besieged and tooke the Citie of Ptolemais whither Alexander resorted vnto her with great presents and an answerable respect vnto his fortune who had bin so vntowardly handled by Ptolomey hauing now no other recourse left him but to her fauour and assistance Vpon his arriuall certaine of her familiars counselled her to lay hands on him and to seaze the countrey and not to permit that so great a number of Iewes and they so valiant men should become subiects vnto one man But Ananias gaue her counsaile to the contrarie alleadging that she should commit an act of great iniustice if she should depose him who was her allie from the gouernment who was beside that very neerely allied vnto her For said he I would you should know that by committing this wrong you shall raise in all the rest of the Iewes a hainous hatred against you Cleopatra conforming her selfe according to Ananias counsaile resolued with her selfe to offer Alexander no iniurie but in steed thereof she entertained him as her allie and friend at Scythopolis a Citie of Coelesyria Now when Alexander perceiued that he was discharged of the feare which he had conceiued in respect of Ptolomey he incontinently drew his army into Coelesyria and after six moneths siege tooke Gadara hee â—…lie shortly after Amath also which is a great fortresse belonging to the inhabitants about Iordan where Theodore the sonne of Zenon had hoorded vp the richest goodliest part of his substance who surprising the Iewes at vnawares slew about ten thousand of them and pillaged Alexanders baggage This did not any waies astonish Alexander but notwithstanding the desaster he marched forward toward the Cities Raphia and Anthedon which Herode afterwards called Agrippias scituate on the sea coasts and tooke them perforce and seeing that Ptolomey was retired from Gaza into Cyprus and that Cleopatra his mother was in Aegypt he besieged the Citie of Gaza and spoiled all the countrey round about it by reason of the displeasure which he had conceiued against the Citizens for that they had sought their assistance at Ptolomies hands against him Against him Apollodotus captaine of the Gazeans made a sallie by night and entred the campe of the Iewes hauing onely with him two thousand strange souldiers and one thousand of his owne followers And as long as the night lasted
burrough of Idumaea Ioseph his brother came forth to meete him and to consult with him as touching their whole estate and to know of him what should become of that great multitude that followed them considering that they had no souldiers in pay and the Castle of Massada whither he pretended to flie was too little to hold all the people for which cause he sent away many to the number of nine thousand willing them to disperse themselues here and there in the countrey of Idumaea and for the better dispatch of their iourney he furnished them with victuals As for himselfe he tooke with him his most able souldiers and inward friends and repaired to the Castle of Massada in which place he left the women and their traine to the number of eight hundreth or thereabouts and furnishing the place with corne water and other prouisions necessarie he went vnto Petra the chiefest Citie of Arabia As soone as it was day the Parthians sacked all that which appertained to the Citizens of Ierusalem and amongst other things they spoiled the palace notwithstanding they medled not with Hircanus money which amounted to some three hundreth talents They left diuers other things behind them also that appertained to Herode and especially that which had been transported into Idumaea by his mature prouidence Neither were the Parthians content with the spoile of the Citie but they forraged all the countrey round about and raced Marissa a verie rich Citie Thus Antigonus brought backe into his countrey by the king of the Parthians receiued Hirtanus and Phasaelus that were prisoners yet was he vehemently displeased because the women had escaped whom according to his promise he intended to haue deliuered with the money and fearing least Hircanus thorow the fauour of the people should be reestablished in his kingdome who was then prisoner in the custody of the Parthians he cut off both his eares depriuing him by that meanes from enioying the priesthood any more by reason of that maime because the law commaundeth that they who are in that dignitie should be sound in all their members But Phasaelus is to be admired for his great courage at this time for vnderstanding that hee must needly die he was no waies dismaied with death but that which he held most miserable and dishonourable was that he must needs die by the hands of his enemy Seeing therefore that he could not dispatch himselfe by other meanes because he was bound and chaiâ—…ed he knockt out his owne braines against a stone and so ended his life with as great honour as may be imagined in such a desperate estate depriuing his enemy of that power which he intended to practise in tyrannizing ouer him at his pleasure It is said that the wound being very deepe Antigonus sent priuily surgeons to cure him and that vnder colour of healing him they should put poison into the same wherethrough he might die But before Phasaelus gaue vp the ghost he vnderstood by a certaine woman that his brother Herode had escaped from his enemies for which cause he endured his death with far greater cheerfulnesse and constancie seeing that he left behind him such a man as would reuenge his death and punish his enemies But Herode was no waies discomforted with the greatnesse of those aduersities which enuironed him round about but was the more whetted on to find out new inuentions and to aduenture dangerous attempts For he went vnto Malchus king of the Arabians to whom before time he had shewed much curtesie hoping to receiue the like of him in this time of his great necessitie and to draw some money from him either by loane or gift according as he had often and verie bountifully pleasured him For being ignorant of his brothers death he endeuoured himselfe to raunsome him speedily from his enemies by paying his raunsome which amounted to three hundreth talents and for that cause he led with him the sonne of Phasaelus who was onely seuen yeeres olde to leaue him in pledge amongst the Arabians for the summe that was demaunded But certaine messengers came vnto him from Malchus who charged him in the kings behalfe to retire backe againe for that the Parthians had enioyned him that he should neither receiue nor retaine Herode And this colourable pretence vsed he because he would not pay his debts and hereunto was he perswaded by the aduice of the greatest in authoritie among the Arabians who pretended thereby to make themselues masters of that treasure that Antipater had committed to their custody Herode answered them that he repaired not into their countrey to giue them cause of any trouble but onely to consult with him about certaine matters of great importance touching his owne estate and that afterwards he was resolued to depart and withdraw himselfe into Aegypt as secretly as might be possible He returned therefore to a certaine temple where he had left diuers of his followers and the next day hee came to Rhinocura in which place he heard tidings of his brothers death But afterwards Malchus repented himselfe of his in gratitude and speedily sent after Herode but he could not ouertake him for he had gotten farre onward of his way and was already arriued in post neere to Pelusium where being denied his passage to Alexandria in those ships that were there he addressed himselfe to the magistrates of the place who highly respected and honoured him and sent him to the Citie where Cleopatra was who entertained him kindly yet notwithstanding could she not perswade him to remaine with her Whereupon he repaired towards Rome notwithstanding the winter and those grieuous troubles that at the verie same time afflicted Italie as it was reported Embarking himselfe therefore to saile into Pamphilia he was tossed with a most cruell storme so that with great danger at last he arriued in Rhodes hauing been inforced in the tempest to cast into the sea a good part of his substance There met he with Sappinas and Ptolomey two of his indeered friends He found also that the Citie of Rhodes had suffered much miserie by Cassius warres and although his meanes were very scant yet profited he them in what he might and caused their walles to be repaired notwithstanding that by so doing he greatly hindred himselfe After that he caused a little frigote to be built and embarked himselfe with his friends to repaire into Italy and arriued at Brundusium and from thence went to Rome The first to whom he discouered his misfortunes was Marcus Antonius to whom he reported all the occurrences in Iudaea and how his brother Phasaelus was taken by the Parthians and slaine and how Hircanus was imprisoned with him The manner also how they had established Antigonus king vnder promise to giue them one thousand talentes and fiue hundreth of the fairest women whom hee intended to choose out of his owne race Lastly how he stole away by night and rescued them and escaping his enemies hands
doe hauing no heart to depart from thence and otherwise perswading themselues that if they staied there any longer it vvould breed them further danger Finally vvhen the souldiers vvere entred into the Theater by force all the vvhole assembly cried out and besought them protesting that vvhatsoeuer was done it vvas beside their knowledge vvhether it vvere either attempted by conspiracie or any other meanes They therefore most humbly intreated them that they would spare them and not inflict the peualtie of the guiltie on those that vvere innocent for their own parts they besought them to search out those vvho had committed the act if any such thing vvere committed And thus spake they with teares beating their breasts and calling the gods to vvitnesse alleadging all that which the present danger suggested them with and as much as such as pleaded for their liues could profer By these perswasions of theirs the souldiers furie was abated so that they began to repent themselues of that vvhich they had executed in the Theater for this also vvas a crueltie as they themselues notwithstanding their barbarous inciuilitie supposed it to be vvhich was that the heads of Asprenas and other that were slaine were carried and set vpon an altar VVhereat all the assistants were most grieuously discontented remembring themselues of the dignitie of the men and hauing compassion of that which had befallen them considering also that they themselues were not farre off from dangers being vncertaine whether they should saue thēselues vvherby it came to passe that some of those who had for good cause hated Caius durst not freely reioice at his death because they were vpon the point to lose their owne liues hauing as yet no appearance of any safetie At length Aruntius a man who was gratious among the people and was one of the common criers who had a strong voice and by crying such goods as were to be solde had gathered so great substance as that he was accounted one of the richest men in Rome and in great estimation amongst all men in that behalfe entred the Theater in a mourning habit and after a lamentable manner and although he inwardly hated Caius yet for the feare he conceiued least hee should lose his goods and in consideration of the present danger he dissembled his ioy wearing all those garments of mourning and vsing no lesse lamentation then if he had bemoaned the death of his deerest friend After this manner came he into the Theater publishing Caius death to the intent that the people might not be ignorant of that which had hapned after this he began to represse the rage of the Germans and commanded their captaines and tribunes to put vp their swords certifying them of the Emperours death which act of his did manifestly saue the liues of all those who were assembled in the Theater and all them likewise whom they could haue met with For if they had had but the least surmise that Caius had as yet been aliue there was not any sort of crueltie which they had not committed For they bare him so great loue and affection that to warrantize him from that mishap they would haue redeemed him with the losse of their owne liues But as soone as they vnderstood that he was dead they repressed their furious rage which egged them forward to reuenge knowing that it auailed them nothing to discouer their affections towards him in that he could yeelde them no requitall Besides the feare they had least that in pursuit of thir tyrannous murthers the Senate should bee incensed against them if so be the gouernment of the estate should be returned into their hands made them containe themselues Thus was the furie of these Germans appea◅ed for the death of Caius Meane while Chaereas who feared verie much least Minucianus should fall into the Germans hands and in their furie be slaughtered by them sought for him among the souldiers enquiring of euerie one whether they knew if he were slaine or no. Wherupon Minutianus and Clement were brought vnto him who in his presence commended Chaereas exploit and gaue him thanks in the name of the whole Senate who witnessed that it was to the general benefit and good of the common weale and that the greatest persons were beholding to him for that hee had neither wanted good aduice in his deliberation nor courage to execute his resolution alleadging that the nature of tyrannie was such that being puffed vp with a short pleasure of vniust and intolerable rule it finally as being hated by all good men determined and ended in miserie as it manifestly appeared in that which had befallen Caius who before any thing was either deuised practised or executed against him was alreadie hatefull to all men and had in such a sort violated all lawes that his greatest friends were resolued to take armes against him who in appearance had depriued him of life when both in truth and in effect it was he himselfe who was the author of his owne ruine Hereupon all they arose who were in the Theater and raised great noise and trouble in seeking to saue themselues The occasion was that a certaine Physition called Arcion being called out to go and dresse certaine men that were wounded making a shewe as if he went to go and prepare such things as were necessarie for those that were wounded made those issue out with him who sate neerest vnto him but the truth was that he did it to the end to draw them out of the present danger Meane while the Senate assembled themselues in the pallace and the people flocked togither to make enquirie after those who had murthered Caius the people with an intire and simple intent the Senate onely to vse some forward proceeding For Valerius Asiaticus who had otherwhiles been Consul came foorth among the people who were in an vprore and suposing it a strange matter that no man knew who had slaine the Emperour whilest euerie one enquired who it was that had done the deed O said he would it had been I that had done it But the Consuls published an edict containing the accusations that were presented against Caius commaunding the people and souldiers who were as yet in the Theater to retire themselues to their lodgings And the people were put in great hope that they should be eased of those taxations wherewith before time they had been burthened and the men of war were promised honours and dignities if they would containe themselues in their accustomed order and stirre vp no further trouble For it was to be feared least if they had been further fleshed in slaughters the Citie should haue fallen into some great danger thorow rapines and the spoiles both of houses and temples But by this time all the whole order of the Senate was assembled especially those who were confederates in Caius murther who seemed to gather courage and to speake boldly as if the gouernment of the estate had been fallen into their
the second day of this solemnitie he shewed himselfe being apparrelled in a Robe of siluer made with admirable workmanship and came in the same to the Theater in the morning Whereas the first reflexe of the rising sunne â—…eat vpon his Robe he shined after such a sort that all those that beheld him were seazed with reuerence and feare Whereupon certaine sycophants which did not a little dishonour him exclaimed one on the one side the other on the other saluting him for a God and in speaking to him cried out thus Be mercifull vnto vs hitherto haue we feared thee as a man but hence forward we wil confesse and acknowledge thee to be of a nature more excellent then mortall frailtie can attaine vnto Agrippa reproued them not for vsing these words neither reiected he their palpable and detestable flattery But not long after he looking vpwards perceiued an owle ouer his head perched vpon a cord and knew the same incontinently that he was but a message of his misfortune whereas before time he had denounced vnto him his felicitie and conceiued thereupon a most hearty and inward griefe And sodainly he was seazed with a terrible griping in his belly which began with verie great vehemencie for which cause turning his eies towards his friends he spake vnto them after this manner Behold him said he whom you esteeme for a God condemned to die and destinie shall apparantly conuince you of those flattering and false speeches which you haue lately vsed in my behalfe For I who by you haue been adored as one immoitall am vnder the hands of death But I must willingly entertaine that which God pleaseth to send me For I haue not liued in obscuritie but in so great and wonderfull felicitie that each one of you haue tearmed and helde me happy Whilest he spake thus his griefes augmented in such sort as he was brought almost to his last for which cause with all expedition he was conuaied into his royall pallace and the rumor was spred in euerie place that verie shortly he would be dead For which cause the people with their wiues and children put on sackcloth according to the custome of the countrey to the end they might sollicit Gods mercie in the kings behalfe and all the Citie was filled with teares and lamentations The king that lay in an vpper chamber and looking downe into the court sawe them lying thus on the earth could not refraine himselfe from teares And after he had for the space of fiue daies without ceasing beene tormented with griping in his belly hee gaue vp the ghost in the fiftie fourth yeere of his age and the seuenth yeere of his raigne For hee had raigned foure yeeres vnder the Empire of Caius Caesar hauing first of all gouerned Philips Tetrarchy three yeeres to which was annexed the signiorie of Herode in the fourth yeere and three yeeres vnder the Empire of Claudius Caesar during which time he gouerned ouer the aboue named countries and moreouer ouer Iudaea Samaria and Caesarea His reuenue amounted to twelue hundreth myriades besides which he made many loanes For in that he was verie liberal in giuing he spent farre more then his reuenue and spared not any thing to shew himselfe magnificent Before the people knew of his death Herode his brother prince of Chalcis and Chelcias the kings lieutenaut and friend agreed betweene themselues to send Aristo one of their trustiest seruants to kill Silas who was their enemie as if they had beene commaunded by the king Thus died king Agrippa leauing behinde him a son called Agrippa seuenteen yeeres old and three daughters one of which that was called Bernice was married to Herode his fathers brother when she was sixteene yeeres olde The two other were Mariamme and Drâ—…silla this Mariamme being of the age of ten yeeres was promised in marriage by her father to Iulius Archelaus Chelcias sonne and Drusilla which was sixe yeeres olde was promised also to Epiphanes sonne to the king of Comagena After Agrippas death they of Caesarea Sebaste forgot themselues of those benefits they had receiued from him and vsed him no lesse despitefully then as if he had been their vtter enemy For they reprochfully abused him after his death and reuiled him in such sort as it is vnseemely to report the same Furthermore all the men of warre who were at that time many in number went vnto the kings lodging and with one accord seazed the statues of the kings daughters and carried them to the brothell house where after they had placed them they vttered all the indignities that they could possibly practizing such shamefull matters as they may not be expressed Besides this resting themselues in the publike places they banqueted in the open street wearing chaplets of flowres vpon their heads and perfuming themselues with odors to sacrifice to Charon drinking to one another for ioy the king was dead Thus expressed they their ingratitude not only towards their king Agrippa who had bestowed so many liberalities on them but also towards Herode his grandfather who had builded their Cities and to his extreame charge erected their ports and temples At that time Agrippa the deceased Agrippas son was at Rome and was brought vp vnder the Emperour Claudius When Caesar vnderstood how those of Caesarea and Sebaste had iniuriously dealt with Agrippa he was sore displeased and mooued with their ingratitude his purpose was to send the younger Agrippa with all expedition to take possession of the kingdome of his father and therewithall to discharge himselfe of his oath but diuers of his freeman and friends who were in great credit with him disswaded him from the same alleadging that it would be a dangerous matter to commit the greatnesse of such a kingdome to a young man who scarcely had as yet attained to the age of eighteene yeeres and for whom it was impossible to support the care of so great a kingdome considering that if he were at mans estate he should finde himselfe ouerburthened with the charge of a kingdome This aduice of theirs was allowed by Caesar and for this cause hee sent Cuspius Fadus to gouerne Iudaea and the whole realme honouring his dead friend in this in that he would not suffer Marsus who had been his enemy to enter into his kingdome He gaue especiall commission also that Fadus should sharply punish those of Caesarea and Sebaste for the outrages they had offered to his deceased friend and the excesse that was committed against his daughters who were yet liuing commaunding him to transport the companies of the Caesarians and Sebastens and the fiue Roman legions into the countrey of Pontus to serue in that place and to take those Roman souldiers that bare armes in Syria to serue in their place yet notwithstanding this commandement of his they were not displaced For they sent Embassadours to Claudius to appease him and by this means they obtained the fauour to remaine in Iudaea
person was to be brought into iudgement there to answere the matter and shew the king a reason and satisfie the lawes of his countrey which permitted no man to be put to death before by law he was conuicted By these perswasions Hyrcanus grew angrie so that not concealing his wrath he caused Herode to be sent for to answere the matter who both for that his father aduertised him thereto and because he trusted to the equity of his cause first leauing a garrison in Galilee he repaired vnto the king came accompanied with a strong guard least either he should seeme to derogate from Hyrcanus dignitie if he should lead forth many or that for want of defence he should expose himselfe to the enuie of his aduersaries Sextus Caesar also fearing the young man least any euill should betide him amongst his enemies sent vnto Hyrcanus manifestly warning him to free Herode from the crime of murther For which cause Hyrcanus who loued Herode and was willing so to do of his owne accord did acquite him Whereupon he supposing that he had escaped against the kings will went to Damascus vnto Sextus purposing not to obey if hereafter he were sent for Naithelesse Hyrcanus was once againe incited by bad people against Herode who certified him that he was gone away in a rage and that he would enterprise something against him which Hyrcanus beleeuing knew not what to doe seeing his enemie more potent then himselfe Shortly after Sextus Caesar proclaimed him Generall of the army both in Syria and Samaria so that now he was greatly to be feared not onely for that he was highly in fauour with the comminaltie but also for the forces which he commanded So that hereupon Hyrcanus fell into an extreme feare verily perswading himselfe that Herod with his whole army would presently come against him Neither was his suspition in vaine for Herod angrie at the pretended crime wherof he was accused came with a great army to Ierusalem intending to depose Hyrcanus which he had effected had not his father and his brother gone forth to meet him and pacified him entreating that he would account that terror wherein he had put his enemies and his owne indignation for a sufficient reuenge and that he should spare the king by whose fauour he came to be so potent adding moreouer that he should not thinke it a disdaine that he was called to answere his accusations but seeing that he was acquited of them he should shewe himselfe gratefull to the king Neither ought he so to reuenge the discontent he had taken that he should shew himselfe vnthankfull to him who had saued his life Moreouer he was to consider the fortune of warres togither with the cause thereof and thinke that the warres he now pretended were very vniust bidding him not to be too confident of the victorie being to fight against his owne king who had alwaies been gratious vnto him and neuer cruell only being as it were vrged thereunto by some of his councell who being meerely enuious rather to satisfie their owne mislikes then in regard of his disgraces framed a shadow of an accusation Herode pacified herewith supposing it to be sufficient for him to obtaine the thing he hoped for to haue shewed his forces vnto his nation At this time began Ciuill warre among the Romans neere vnto Apamia for Caecilius Bassus for the loue he bare to Sextus Pompey slew Sextus Caesar at vnawares and made himselfe gouernour of his army and other captaines of Caesars to reuenge his death made after Bassus with all their forces vnto whom Antipater by his two sonnes sent aide both for Caesars sake that was slain as for Caesars sake that was yet aliue for he was an entire friend welwiller vnto them both and these warres continuing long Marcus came out of Italy to succeed Sextus CHAP. IX Of the dissension amongst the Romans after Caesars death and of the treacherie of Malichus AT this time arose great and bloudy ciuill warres amongst the Romans at such time as Caesar was traiterously slaine by the treason of Cassius and Brutus after he had ruled the Empire 3. yeers and seuen moneths By reason of which murther their troubles daily increased and the nobilitie being at variance amongst themselues euerie one followed that course that they thought most expedient for themselues Whereupon Cassius presently marched into Syria to take possession of the gouernment of the army which was about Apamia where hee made Marcus and the legions that were at variance and Bassus friends and raised the siege from Apamia and leading the army in his owne person he forced euerie citie to be tributarie so that he grew to exact without measure Whereas therefore he commanded the Iewes to contribute seuen hundreth talents Antipater who feared his displeasure appointed his sons and other of his friends presently to gather the money and especially among the rest he gaue this charge to one Malichus a friend of his being by necessitie inforced thereunto But Herode first of all got Cassius his fauour who brought a hundreth talents which he had collected out of Galilee which was his part or prouince for this cause Cassius accounted him as a deare friend As for the rest he accused them of negligence and was angrie at the other Cities So that for that cause he destroied Gophna and Ammauntes and other two of the basest cities marching onward as if he intended to kill Malichus for that he had been so carelesse and negligent in gathering the tribute mony But Antipater presently disbursing vnto Cassius a hundreth talents saued both him and all the rest of the Cities Yet Malichus after Cassius was departed did no more remember how beneficiall Antipater had been vnto him but oftentimes did treacherously lie in waite for to murther Antipater who hindred and withstood his villanous pretence notwithstanding that himselfe had often confessed that Antipater had saued his life Antipater fearing both his power and subtiltie passed ouer the riuer Iordan to gather an army that he might reuenge those treacheries But Malichus being discouered by his impudencie ouercame Antipaters sons for through many oths and excuses he woon Phasaelus chiefe of the garrison in Ierusalem and Herod also who was master of the armorie that they should be a meanes to reconcile him to Antipater Whereupon Antipater entreating Marcus who was Generall of the army in Syria and had determined to kill him he was saued The reason that Marcus would haue put him to death was because Malichus sought to make an alteration Now Caesar being young and Antonius warring against Cassius and Brutus Marcus and Cassius hauing gathered an army in Syria in consideration that Herode had stood them in steed where need required they made him Procurator of all Syria giuing him a band of horsemen and footmen Moreouer Cassius promised him that if the warres had a happy end he would make him king of
speake nothing at all except you wil all keep silence I knowe that many do seeke to aggrauate the iniuries that are done by the rulers of the countrie and doe highly commend and extoll libertie yet before I beginne to declare vnto you who you are and against whom ye purpose to beare armes I will first deuide and separate such causes as you thinke inseparable For if you seeke onely to reuenge your selues vpon those that haue iniured you why doe ye then so extoll liberty or if you thinke it not tolerable to obey any other why then these complaints against your rulers are superfluous For although they were neuer so milde still would subiection bee intolerable Call all things to minde and consider what a small cause of warre is giuen you And first of all weigh with your selues the crimes and offences of your rulers for you ought to shewe your selues humble and dutifull to them that are in authoritie and not exasperate and prouoke them to wrath by reprochfull speeches For in reuiling them for small offences you doe incite them against you whom you so reuile and that where as before they did onely doe you a little iniurie and that secretly now being moued through bad speeches they openly set vpon you and destroy you And there is nothing that so restraineth cruelty as patience so that oft times the patience of them who haue suffered iniurie makes them that did the ini◅rie ashamed thereof Be it so that they which are sent into the prouinces appointed by the Romans for your gouernours are irksome to you yet all the Romans doe not oppresse you nor Caesar against whom you would take armes For they commaund no cruell gouernours to come to you nor can they who are in the furthest part of the West easily know what is done in the East nor heare thereof And truly it is a thing most against reason to take armes for so smal cause especially when they against whom you take armes knowe nothing of the matter It is an easie way quickly to haue redresse for these matters you now complaine of For there will not be alwaies the same gouernour and it is credible that they who succeed this will be more gentle and courteous But if you once begin to make warre it is not easie to end it or to sustaine it without great calamities And let them who so thirst after libertie diligently aduise themselues that they do not bring vpon their backs a greater bondage For slauerie is a cruell thing and it seemeth a lawfull cause to make warre least you be brought into it yet he that is alreadie in bondage and reuolteth is rather a peruerse slaue then one who desireth libertie You should therfore haue endeuored to haue resisted the Romans when first Pompeius entred into this land but then our ancestors and their kings farre exceeding you in riches strength of bodie and courage were not able to withstand a small part of the Romane forces and doe you thinke who are their successours and farre weaker then they hauing succeeded them in subiection that you are able to resist all the whole power of the Romans The Athenians who sometime to conserue the libertie of Greece set their owne citie on fire and pursued that proud Xerxes whom they forced to flie with one ship which Xerxes made the earth nauigable and the sea firmeland who had such a nauie that the seas had not roo◅ for one ship to saile by another nor al Europe able to receiue his armie who also had such a victorie ouer Asia neere the little Isle of Salamina yet now are subiect vnto the Romans and that kingly citie is now ruled at the Romans becke The Lacedemonians also hauing gotten such a victorie vpon the Thermopyles and vnder their generall Agesila◅ ◅acked Asia acknowledge now the Romans for their Lords The Macedonians also who still imagine they see Philip and Alexander promising them the Empire of the whole world now patiently beare this change and obey them whom fortune hath made their masters Many other nations who for their power and strength haue farre more cause then you to seeke their libertie yet patiently endure to serue the Romans But you onely thinke it a disgrace to obey them who are Lords of the whol world And where are the armies armes that you trust in or your nauy to scoure the Romā seas Where are your treasures to effect that you entend thinke you that you are to warre against the Aegyptians or Arabians And do you not consider the bounds of the Romane Empire Do you not consider your owne inhabilitie Know ye not that your neighbour nations haue often by force taken your citie and that the forces of the Romanes haue passed through the whole world vnconquered and as it were searching for something greater then the world Whose dominions towards the East is extended beyond Euphrates and towards the North beyond Ister towards the South beyond the wildernesse of Lybia and towards the West beyond Gades hauing found an other world beyond the Ocean and with an armie entred Britaine which is England and Scotland where neuer anie came before Are you richer then the Frenchmen stronger then the Germanes wiser then the Greeks and are you more in number then the whole world beside What hop◅ can you haue that may incite you against the Romanes But some of you will say that bondage is a grieuous thing But how much more then you should the Greeks thinke so that were thought to be the noblest nation vnder heauen and had such large dominions and now obey the Romane gouernours as also the Macedonians doe who haue greater cause then you to seeke their libertie What shall I say of the fiftie Cities of Asia do they not all obey one ruler and the authoritie of the Consul without any garrison What shall I speake of the Eniochians Col◅hians the people of Taurus the inhabitants of Helispontus and Pontus and about Maeotis who in time past had no ruler of their owne nation whome now three thousand Souldiours keepe in awe and fortie long Gallies keepe now peaceably those seas neuer sayled on before What thinke you the Bythinians Cappadocians those of Pamphilia Lydia and Cilicia could say for their libertie who notwithstanding now peaceably pay tribute vnto the Romans What of the Thracians whose Countrie is fiue daies iournie in breadth and seuen in length farre more hard and stronger then your Countrey where frost would hinder them that should assault them yet do they obey two thousand Romans who are in garrison After them the Illyrians whose countrey reacheth vnto Dalmatia and Ister are kept in obedience onely by two legions with helpe of whom they also resist the Dacians The Dalmatians thēselues who hauing so often attempted their own libertie being oftentimes conquered and still as their wealth increased rebelling are now in peace vnder one legion of the Romans Nay if
your parts and duties to ioine with vs and helpe vs to exterminate these malefactors and be reuenged of them for this lie in that they presumed to call you to helpe them whom they had iust reason to feare as reuengers for their impieties yet if you make account of these mens praiers vouchsafe laying your weapons aside to come into our citie like friends and be your selues Iudges betweene vs and them whom you came to helpe And consider what fauour we shew them who permit them to plead their owne causes before you they being guiltie of so hainous crimes and hauing put to death persons of such account neuer accused nor permitted to speake for themselues yet this commoditie we will grant them for your sake But if you continue in your anger against vs and refuse this offer to be our Iudges then let vs intreat you that leauing both parts you would neither imbrue your hands in our bloud nor lend your aide vnto these miscreants against your mother citie And if you suspect any of vs to be confederates with the Romans you may keepe all passages and then seeke to defend your Metropolis when you haue proofe of any such matter as is alledged against vs and punish the authors of that treason when you haue conuicted them The enemies cannot preuent you being alreadie planted so neere the citie If you like of none of these maruell not that we shut our gates against you comming in armed and hostile manner Iesus spake thus vnto them But the Idumaeans being angrie were not moued hereby and so much the more for that entrance into the citie was denied them and their generals were exceedingly wrath thinking it slauerie to lay downe their armes especially at the commaund of another Then one of the captaines named Simon the sonne of Cathla hauing with much adoe gotten his souldiers to be silent hee stood in a place where the priests might heare him and said That he now did not wonder that those who maintained libertie were enclosed and besieged in the Temple seeing that they of the Citie now shut their gates against his followers the Citie being common and free for all men and that perhaps they were readie to open the Citie gates for to receiue the Romans And he spake vnto the Idumaeans from a tower and commanded them to cast down their armes which they tooke only for the libertie of the citie when they durst not trust their own nation to keep the same yet wold haue them iudges of the discord and that accusing others for killing some not conuicted they themselues doe condemne all the whole nation of ignominie and that they had now shut the Citie gates against their owne Countrimen which was common for al strangers to come vnto for religion sake Did we make haste towards you to fight against our owne nation which came onely to preserue your libertie But this is as true as that they whom you thus besiege haue wronged you and as the accusations you forge against them And you keeping in hold those that are the defenders of the Commonwealth doe then shut the Citie gates against men of your owne bloud lastly you impose vpon vs contumelious commands and say that they do tyrannize ouer you ouer whom indeed you do Who can any longer endure this your mockerie that perceiueth how vnpossible your allegations are For who can iustly accuse those that yee keepe shut vp in the Temple because that they presumed to punish traytors whom you grace with the title of noble innocent because they were your cōfederats Onely in this they are blame worthie that they did not begin with you but left aliue such members of that conspiracie Except also you will say that the Idumaeans shut you out of your Citie you your selues not permitting vs to come offer sacrifices But though they were too mercifull yet we Idumaeans will conserue the house of God and will fight for the common good of our Countrie and will bee reuenged both of the enemies that are without the Citie and the traytors within And here will we remaine before the Citie till either the Romans come and deliuer you or till you change your minds and bethinke your selues what a Iewell it is to haue libertie CHAP. VII Of the massacre of the Iewes by the Idumaeans ALl the whole multitude agreed with a lowd crie vnto these speeches of Simon And Iesus departed sorrowful seeing that the Idumaeans wold agree to no reason and that thereby their Citie should suffer double warres For the Idumaeans wrath was not yet asswaged who tooke the matter in great disdaine that they were not permitted to enter into the Citie and also for that they thought the Zelous verie strong and they themselues were ashamed that they could not come to helpe them so that many repented that they were come thither Yet would they not for shame returne nothing being done by them and so rashly placing their tabernacles neere vnto the Citie wals they determined to staie there But that night there fell a most huge tempest for there was a great stormie wind and an exceeding great raine mixt with fearefull thunder and horrible lightning and the Earthquake with strange noyses whereupon all men thought that this motion of the earth did signifie the death of mankind and portend some great matter The Idumaeans and townes-men were both of one mind for they thought that God was angrie with them for bearing armes against their Metropolis and perswaded themselues that they could not escape death if they continued in their purpose Ananus and his followers perswaded themselues that they had now ouercome them without warre and that God had fought for them against the Idumaeans But they were false Prophets and what they iudged was to befall their enemies that fell vpon themselues In the meane while the Idumaeans lay as close together as they could and couered their heads with their shields so that by this meanes the raine did them not so much harme The Zelous were pensiue for the Idumaeans more then for themselues and deuised which way they might succour them Then the boldest amongst them aduised the rest by force to oppresse the watchmen and 〈◊〉 goe into the Citie and open the gates to the Idumaeans that came to helpe them for it was easie to surprise the watchmen by reason that many of them were vnarmed and vnfit for warre and the Citizens could not easily be assembled together for euerie man because of this tempest kept his house And suppose that there were danger yet were it better to endure all mischiefes that might ensue then to permit such an army shamefully to perish who came at their request to helpe them But the wiser sort disswaded the rest from this seeing both a stronger watch placed to keepe them in and the Citie wals diligently guarded because of the Idumaeans and moreouer perswading themselues that Ananus ceased not but went