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
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
to manye woordes in persuadinge the peace and league Vppon this Eleasar assembled the priestes and people together to go out fight with Castius Castius perceiuinge howe Eleasar and the people were affected and what mindes they were of how thei had vtterly conspired to distroy the Romaines that were there and to consume them cleane hauing a sufficient trial also of the force and valiantnesse of the rebels he determined fullye to go to Rome for he perceiued he was not able to matche with the sedicious neither his owne power to be compared with theirs Wherefore he woulde go see what ende shoulde come of this warres and what counsell Caesars maiestie would geue Taking his iourney therfore to the citye Iapho he founde there letters of the Romaines for thither was their armie come FroÌ„ thence wente hee with theim and his owne host to Rome and made relation vnto Caesar of such things as had chauÌ„ced him whereat Nero was wonderfully abashed not onely he but all the people of Rome were soore astonied to hear of the great puissant and valiantnes of the Iewes For the which cause the warres ceased for that yere so that the land of Iudea was at great rest quietnes the yere through Eleasars means the head rebel specially froÌ„ the hands of wicked Castius that had sworne to reueng the Romaines to quite the Iewes and that he would destroye all the Iewes that none shoulde be left aliue Therefore these are they that deliuered Israel in the time of the second temple oute of the handes of their ennemies what time as warres were moued against the Iewes and their countrye what time also commotions and tumultes began in Israell The first businesse was made by Antiochus the wicked kinge of Macedonia who had determined not to leaue one man in Israel His mischeuousnesse proceded so farre that he slue of the people of God the Sages wise men princes elders and yonge men children greate and smal Israelites Leuites also and priestes vntil all the chiefe men of Iuda cast their heades together and went to Matthathias sonne of Iochanan the hie prieste in the mounte of Modiith where he had him self for the iniquity of Antiochus and his rulers cryinge vpon him and sayinge Deliuer at this season the people of the Lord and neuer thinke to escape thy self whiles the moste wicked enemy rauÌ„geth thus and runneth vpon thy people sheadeth thy bloud For the bloud of all Israel what is it but thy bloude and the eies of euery man are fixed vpon thee hopinge that thou shouldest assist and aide them in this calamitie that they may finde deliuerance by thy meanes Mattathias hearyng this wept bitterly and said vnto them Feare ye not nor let these Macedonians dismay you the Lorde shal fighte for you be ye onelye quiet So theÌ„ was Mattathias stirred deliuered Israell oute of the handes of Antiochus and after he had ouercomed him he was hie priest for one yere and then died In whose roume succeaded Iudas his sonne who executed the office in the temple .vi. yeres and was slaine in battaile Then his brother Iochanan was chief in the temple .viii. yeres and died likewise in battaile After him his brother Schimeon was ruler .18 yeres whoÌ„ Ptolomae his wiues father poysoned at a banket Then Iochanan his sonne succeaded his father in thoffice that is he that was named Hircanus first of that name so called because he vanquished a king of that name called Hircanus he raigned .21 yeres and died Afterwardes raigned Aristobulus one yere he was called the great kinge because he firste put the royall crowne vpon his heade and turned the dignitie of the hie priesthode into a kingdome vnhallowing and staining the holines therof 480. yeares and .iii. monethes after the retourninge of Israell from Babilon He beyng dead his brother Alexander reigned .xxvii. yeares After whose death Alexandra his wyfe held the kyngdome .ix. yeares and died In whose stede succeded her sonne Aristobulus and reigned thre yeares In his tyme Pompei a Romain captain came against Hierusalem wan it and apprehended Aristobulus bound him in iroÌ„s and caried him captiue to Rome In whose place he ordeiued Hircanus his brother to succede who reigned fourty yeares During his reigne rebelled An tigonus forme of Aristobulus Hircanê° brother with the aide of an armie of the Persians encountred with Hircanus toke him prisoner and sent him to Babilon cutting of his eares that he should neuer after be meet either for the priesthod or for the kingdome Antigonus reigned .iii. yeres In his daies Herode fled and ioyned himselfe with the Romaines by whose helpe he slue Antigonus the .iii. yeare of his reigne reigned after him .xxxvii. yeares and then died After Herode succeded in the king dome Archelaus his sonne who was taken by the Romaines the .ix. yeare of his reigne layde in bondes and ended his life at Rome Next to him reigned Antipater his brother who chaunged his name called him self Herode he reigning fully ten yeares ouercame and vasted Spaine because the king of Spayne had rauished and taken away his brothers wyfe and there died After him folowed Agrippas sonne of Aristobulus that was his brothers son he reigned thre and twenty yeares After whose death his sonne Agrippas reigned twentye yeares This is that Agrippa of whom â–ª wee now speake of of the calamities that befel in his time vpon Israel For all the whâ—le that he raigned the warres betwene the Romains and Israell neuer ceased vntil the people of Iudea were led captiue into the prouince of the Romains what time also the temple was desolate I meane the desolation of the second temple which we saw with our eies builded and distroyed THe .xx. yere of the raigne of kynge Agrippas the .ix. daye of the fifte moneth that is called Af Nero Caesar sent a present for burnt offerings to be offred in the temple at HierusaleÌ„ â—â—ly requiring peace of thelders sages of Iudea Hierusalem that thei would receiue him into league with them saiyng My request is that you would offer my present to the Lorde your God for his sernice and religion liketh me very well so that I desire you to ioyne in league with me accordinge as you haue done with the emperours of Rome my predecessours in time past I haue hearde what Castius the captain of mine armi hath done vnto you which displeaseth me out of measure Wherfore I assure vnto you a faithful league by the consent and couÌ„sel of the Senate of Rome that hereafter there shall neuer Romaine captaine stirre hand nor fote against you but rather your heades rulers iudges shal be al Iewes and of Ierusalem Yea Agrippas your kinge shal be Lorde of all your rulers what he commaundeth ye shal do it the Romains shal only be called your lordes and haue no more to do with you So when these legates came to IerusaleÌ„ they wente and spake with Anani the priest
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
in Scithopoles I will speake vnto you a fewe woordes full of lamentacion and sorowe Nowe I perceiue that iustli and not without a cause ye make warre against me withoute any fauor or cōsideracion that I haue deliuered you from the hostes of the Iewes neuer suffred thē to do any displesure to you your wiues and children nor to your city as they had done to other cities of Siria For I am he that for your sakes haue warred against my country men to please you withall yea bothe their bloud and mine owne haue I pledged vnto you and haue kept immolated the loue of straungers hatinge mine owne people of whome for your pleasures I haue slain oft both the fathers and the children and nowe you render euill for the good that I haue done vnto you But in dede God of his iust iudgmente hathe stirred you vp to rewarde me in this sorte to murther me that haue so oft receiued you Now therfore ye shall beare me witnesse that I shal sufficiētly and sharpli inough take vengeaunce of my self not withoute rage and furye most seuerly because I haue slaine my felowes frendes I will therfore likewise slea my selfe to be auenged of my self for my brothers bloude that I haue shed and so shal I be a reuēger of their blud And ye shal wel perceiue me to be of that hardinesse courage that rather then ye shuld slea me and after boast bragge how ye haue killed Schimeon I wil bereue my selfe of my life and punishe the sheadinge of my brothers bloud none otherwise then the law punisheth a murtherer and a māqueller When he had spokē this his eies were filled with bloud his face with rage and so inflamed with furie latynge aparte all pity ran and caught holde of his father haled him oute of the woode and slue him Then slue he his mother least she should intreat him for the children and be sory for their sakes That done his wife came runninge of hir owne accord and held her necke downe to the sword leaste she shoulde be constrained to see her children die Yea Schimeons children came and offered them selues to be slain least they should see the deathe of their father or remain after him to be deliuered to the ennemies After this he slue all his hole family that not one of his shoulde come into the hādes of their enemies Finallye he gathered their bodies together into one place like a valiaunte stoute warrioure and then boldlye goarded him selfe vpon his owne sworde least any mā else should impare his strēgth or boast that he had killed him Al this Schimeon did with a greate courage to take punishment of him self because he had bestowed his loue rather vpon straungers then vpon his owne people and to declare his force and manhode So he died an abhominable and detestable death saue onlye it was an argument of his hauty minde great courage as it is said before NOw when the Iews had thus rebelled against the Romains slain their souldioures and captaines king Agrippas went to Rome and recounted vnto Nero Cesar the Emperour of Rome al that was happened Wherevpon Nero sente captaine Castius that was at that time in Siria had made warre vpon the kinge of Persia had vanquished him and al his power and subdued hys dominyons to the Romaines and with him a puissante armie of Romaines commaunding him to go into Iudea to offer peace vnto the people to comfort them and to bringe them again into league with the Romaines if it might be Castius therfore toke his iourney toward Iudea whom Agrippas met in the waye informed him what had happened vnto him of the Iewes howe he had offred them peace and they would none of it howe also they had burnte his palaice sacked it Castius hearing that was verye glad that he had gotten suche an occasion to reuenge the bloude of the Romaines and Sirians whiche the Iewes had shed Wherfore he leuied a mighti army and came to Cesarea And whersoeuer he might espy the goodliest buil dinges those caused he to be burnte From thence wente he to the citye Iapho which he besieged both by land by water and at length wan it where he slue in the streates eyghte thousand and foure hundreth menne After that he came to Iabes where he fyrste brente all the Countrye aboute it and whom so euer he caught withoute the town he slue them But the citizins of Zippori went out to mete Castius besought him of peace whom he spared came not nie their towne nor slew any that dwelt in their countrey The sedicious Iewes that were in the citye of Zippori hearing of Castius cōming fledde vnto the mountains But in the waie they lighted vpon part of Castius army wherof they slew .ii. hundred mē and wounded their captaine Glaphira Yet at lengthe the sedicious were put to flight and manye of them Glaphira with his horsmen pursued ouerthrew and distroyed the rest fled to the mountains Then Glaphira captaine of Castius armie wente to Cesaria that was subdued to the Romaynes there to cure his woūds that the Iewes had geuē him From thence wente hee to Antipire which as he would haue assaulted perceiued it to be furnished with a greate power of the Iewes sedicious These hearing that Castius also was cōming thei went purposely to fight with him but perceiuing that Castius power was very great thei determined to encounter with him in the plaine of Gibeon 50. miles from Hierusalem Wherupō the Iewes with their companies fayned them selues to flee to thintent they might stale the Romaines after them And within .vi. daies they came to Gibeon and there rested Castius pursued after with his whole hoste till he came to Gibeon whiche he besieged and assaulted also It chaunced then vppon one of the Sabbothes in the mornyng watch the Iewes armed at al places issued out of the towne to geue their enemies a Camisado So after they had geuen a token of warre they marched towarde the hoste of Castius whereof they slewe 515. horsemen and fotemen 27. thousand with the losse of onely 22. of their owne companie In that battaile did well appeare the valiantnesse of Mugbas a captain of the Iewes armie One Baudius also plaied the man at the same time for at the commaundement of Eleasar the priest chief of the sedicious he set the first fote within the Romains cāpe Then began the Iewish warriours to be famous after they had once so manfully encountred with the Romains This done Castius and Agrippas sente their embassadours yet once agayne to Hierusalem to Eleasar the sonne of Anany the priest chiefe of the rebels that were in Iudea and Hierusalem requiring peace and to come in league with Eleasar least the people the people of the Iewes shoulde be distroied bi the Romains incursions and inuasions on euerye side But Eleasar refused to heare the legates and slewe one of them because he made
comditions of peace whether whē he was come he sente his embassadours to the citizens to intreate the peace with thē Whereunto the Cityzens accorded and were readye to enter in league with Titus When as this wicked Iehochanan perceiued the auncient men of the towne and the heades wolde receiue peace he commaunded his companions to kepe the walles to let them from speaking with the Romaines and that they woulde geue the Romaines their answer So therfore seditious Iehochanā made answer to the embassadoure of Titus saying to morow haue we a solempne feast to the Lord God tell thy master Titus therfore that he graunte vs truce for two daies and the thirde day we wil geue him answer Wherwith Titus was contente and lefte the assaulte for two daies These thinges were done vpon Whitson euen which was called the feaste of weakes and haruest The night afore the third day appointed was come Iehochanan and his complices gate them oute of the towne and fled toward Ierusalem ere Titus knew therof On the morow he sent his embassadour to demaūd their answer what they would do They answered we desire to entre in a league with you for we are yours to do you what pleasure your hart desireth vpon this condicion that none of the Romaines hurt ether our bodies or goodes Titus vpon this made peace with them confirminge it by writinge sealed for the better assuraunce therof So they opened the gates and Titus came into the town with his hole armi the Iewes receiued him with great ioy honoring him very much Then Titus inquired for Iehochanan and his confederates the citizens declared vnto him how he fled by night withal his towards Ierusalem Titus hearing that sent after to pursue him yet they found him not he had made such spede Notwithstanding many of the people that wēt out of the town with him that they might escape the daunger both men wemen children old and impotent persōs they enertoke slue them euery one and returned with a great spoyle After this Titus wan all the cities in Galile and set rulers in them Then Vaspasian dislodged from thence and came to the mount Tabor which hath snow vpon it continually the height therof is .xxx. furlonges and vpon the top is a plaine of .xxiii. furlong◠broade Thither sent Vaspasian one of his Captaines called Palgorus whiche tooke the mountaine and the towne that stode thereon But here I will leaue of the historie of the rest of the battails that were fought in other places in the lande of Israel and Galile and speake no more of them in this boke for they be almoste innumerable and we haue made mencion of them in the historie of the Romains ⧠The Historye of the siege of Hierusalem NOwe wyll wee discribe the battails of Hierusalem howe the city was besieged by the Romains wherin we will declare all thinges truelye as our maner is faithfullye accordynge to the veritie of that was done It came to passe therfore as Iehochanan the Galilean was fled to Hierusalem he found there men mete for his purpose iniurious persons wicked menne murtherers disceiuers bloudsheaders an infinite number for out of all countreys within the land of Iuda there repared thither all men of warre to defende the sanctuarie of our God and Anani the hie priest receiued al that came These seinge Iehochanan and his valeantnesse fell from Anani the hie priest and claue vnto him deuising with him of al their affaires So Iehochanan conspired with those cutthrotes to laye handes vppon the rich men of the city and to spoile them of their goodes and this was their maner when they espied any notable rich man of the city they woulde after this sort quarrel with him Art not thou he that hast sent letters to the Romains and to Vaspasian to betraye the citye vnto them Thus woulde thei examin him before the people and when he woulde answer God forbid I shoulde so do then woulde they bringe in lims of the Deuil of their owne companye to beare false witnesse againste him that he might be condempned to death by the law for a rebel Thus dealt thei with Antipas and Lohia bothe noble men and of the chiefe of the citye and their goodes withal their iewels the seditious ceased for them selues They quarels also to the hie priestes thruste them from their charges that thei could not execute their seruice Moreouer thei cast lottes who should haue the priests office and who should be no priest For they helde the priesthode and seruice of God for ioyes gaudes and trifles So the lotte fel vpon one that was called Pani the sōne of Peniel a carterly husbandman ignorant what belonged to the priestes office so that he was vtter lie vnworthy of the priesthode yet thei made him hye priest for all the so light a matter made they of the priest hode The good Godlye men of Hierusalē seing the power of these Ruffians and wicked persons beare suche swinge they stack together and determined to with stande them by force The people therfore earnestlye moued with anger set vpon them and encountred with them in suche sort that the fight was greate on bothe sides in the streates in the market place in the temple and in the entraunce of the Temple till all the citye was filled full of dead bodies and slaine men For there was not so much as one streate but there was some skirmishes in it The people at length gat the vpper hand of the Ruffiās for thei were eigerly set earnestly bēt against thē The sedicious therfore seing thē selues not able to make their party good with the people fled euerie man into the temple of the Lorde shutte it after them and there remained But Anani the hie Prieste seinge the wicked to be fledde to the temple willed the people to cease their fightynge vpon theim in the holie temple of the Lorde least they shoulde pollute it with the bloude and dead carcases of these wicked persons The people therefore left of the fight Then Anani beset the temple rounde about with a vs thousande of the beste and pickedst men of the people wel armed all of them wyth iackes and Sallettes and as well weapened with euerye manne a sworde a Target and a Speare or Pyke to keepe the Temple that they shoulde not come foorthe Moreouer Anani caste in his minde that besides the settynge vppon theim in the Temple whiche were in no wise semelye it shoulde also bee as greate a dammage if the people of the Lorde shoulde one riue and sticke an other in the verye Temple For these causes he sente Embassadours to Iehochanan the Galilean chiefe Capitaine of the the sedicious and thieues offerynge hym peace but Iehochanan refused it For the Sedicious had sente for the Edomites to come and ayde them These Edomites hadde bene euer from their firste beginnynge verie hardye and Valiaunte menne and warrelyke yet were they subiecte to the Iewes For Hircanus kynge