were taken by him To the performance whereof Ananias perswaded Albinus by manifest reason and by obtaining his demaund encreased and begat a number of miseries For the theeues vsed all the wilie meanes they could deuise in apprehending some one of Ananias house and when they had taken any one of them aliue they would not deliuer him except before they might haue one of their owne deliuered So that increasing both in courage and number they waxed more more insolent to afflict the countrey At the same time king Agrippa enlarged the citie of Caesarea surnamed Philippi and in honour of Nero called it Neronias He builded also to his great charge a Theater in fauour of the Berytians wherein euerie yeere he spent diuers thousands of siluer in sports He distributed oyle and corne to euery one of the people and garnished all the citie with most anticke and goodly counterfaited portraitures vpon the porches Briefely he welny transported into the citie all the ornamnts of the rest of his kingdom for which cause his subiects began to hate him seeing he depriued thē of their rare ornaments to adorn one strange citie Iesus the sonne of Gamaliel succeeded in the priesthood which the king had giuen him and taken away from Iesus the sonne of Damneus who resigned him his place against his will Whereupon there arose a discord betweene them For hauing assembled their resolutest followers they grew from bitter words to fatall blowes and stones But amongst all the rest Ananias was the richest in wealth and by his bountie reconciled the more vnto him Costobarus also and Saul gathered each of them a band of rascall and desperate men These two were of the bloud royall and by reason of their affinitie and alliance with Agrippa they were well beloued ◅or which cause they were outragious and violent in spoiling and rauishing the fortunes of the weaker sort From this time forward the estate of our Citie grewe desperate encrcasing daily more and more in wickednesse When Albinas vnderstood that Gessius Florus came to succeed him desirous that they of Ierusalem should acknowledge some good turne at his hands he called before him all those prisoners that were notoriously guiltie of murther and caused them to be executed As for those that were imprisoned vpon any small or sleight cause vpon paiment of their fines he deliuered them and in so doing the prison was cleansed of malefactors and from that time the countrey remained full of theeues and Robbers The Leuites who were ordained to sing the hymnes vnto God sollicited the king to assemble the councell and thereby to permi◅ them to weare the linnen Robe which the priests were accustomed to vse telling him that such an ordinance would dignifie his estate verie much in that he would be alwaies famous in memory of this new establishment This suit of theirs was easily respected and admitted For the king after he had consulted with those who were his assistants suffered the Leuites that sung the hymnes to lay aside their ordinarie Robe and to apparrell themselues in linnen as best liked them He permitted also that another part of the Leuites who intended the seruice of the temple should learne to sing the hymnes and psalmes according ◅s they had required All which he did contrarie to the ordinances of the countrey which being broken there was nought else to be expected but punishment At that time was the building of the temple finished And the people perceiuing that more then eighteene thousand workmen should be idle and depriued of wages whereupon they were accustomed to liue in trauailing in the building of the temple on the other side being Ioath to reserue their money thorow the feare they had of the Romanes to prouide that these workmen in the intertainment of whom they resolued to employ their treasure for if any one of them trauailed but one howre in the day he was sodainly paide his wages they requested the king that it might please him to repaire the Easterne gate on the outward part of the temple scituate in a descent the wals whereof were in height foure hundreth cubits made of square stones of white marble from the top to the bottome and euery stone twentie foot long and six foot thicke This worke was first builded by king Salomon who was the first that builded our temple But the king to whom Claudius Caesar had giuen the commission of building the temple thinking with himselfe that it was verie easie to breake it downe but very hard to build it vp and that to reedifie the porch it would cost much time and expence he denied their request permitting them neuerthelesse to paue their citie with broad stone Hee tooke the priesthoode from Iesus the sonne of Gamaliel and gaue it to Matthias the sonne of Theophilus In whose time the warre betwixt the Romanes and Iewes grew to the first head But I thinke it not amisse but verie answerable to the course of this present historie to speake of the priests and to shew how they had their beginning and to whom this honour may be lawfully communicated and how many they were in number vntill the end of the warre The first of them was Aaron Moses brother after whose death his children succeeded him and from that time forward the honour hath continued with their successors For it is a law obserued by our auncestors that no man shall be admitted to the priesthood except he be of Aarons posteritie for albeit he were a king if so be that he were of an other line it was impossible for him to obtaine the priesthood All the priests after Aaron who as we haue said was the first vntill Phanasus whom the seditious created priest in the time of the warre haue been in number 83. whereof 13 haue executed the office from the time that Moses erected Gods tabernacle in the desart vntil such time as arriuing in Iudaea king Salomon builded a temple to God For in the beginning the hie priesthood continued with the possessors for terme of life but afterwards although the priests were yet aliue yet were there other successors planted in their roomes These thirteene were of Aarons posteritie and obtained this degree in succession the one after the other Their first gouernment was Aristocratia which is the gouernment of the nobilitie afterwards a monarchy and finally a royall gouernment The number of yeers wherein these thirteene flourished were sixe hundreth and twelue yeeres from the day that our fathers departed out of Aegypt vnder the conduct of Moses vntill the edification of the temple that was builded in Ierusalem by king Salomon After these thirteene high priests there were eighteene others who after Salomons time succeeded one after another vntill the time that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon hauing encamped before the Citie tooke the same and burned the temple and transported our nation into Babylon and led away the high priest Iosedech prisoner The time of the priesthood
a. high priesthood confirmed to him 80. g h i. giueth his stoole to Eleazar 82. h. his death ibid. h. Aarons rod fructifieth 81. a. Abdon Iudge of Israel 120. k. renowmed for his issue ibid. k. Abel second son of Adam 5. a. is commended ibid. a b. is stain by his brother and why ibid b c. Abias leuieth an army 211 b. ouercommeth Ieroboam 211. f. dieth 212. g. his issue ibid. Abiathar escapes Sauls hands 149. d. telleth Dauid of his families slaughter 150. g. asketh counsell of God 157. b. dispossessed of the priesthood 191. d. holpe Adonias 186. l. Abigal pacifieth Dauid 152 k l m. after married to Dauid 153. b. Abihu Aarons son burned 67. a. and why ibid a. Abimelech king of Gerar enamoured of Sara 16 i. plagued for taking her ibid i. made a couenant with Abraham ibid l. expelleth Isaac his countrey 21. b. after maketh a league with him ibid. c. d. Abimelech Gedeons bastard sonne 117. c. killeth 69. of his brethren and vsurpeth ibid. e f. practiseth against the Sichemites 118. i k. slaieth them and sacketh their Citie ib. l. burned the Sichemites fled to the rock 118. l m. taketh Tebez 119. a. is wounded and slaine ibid. Abiram rebellious 79. a b. he and those that were with him swallowed vp 80. g. Abisai ouercommeth the Idumaeans 167. c. sent against the Ammonites 169. a. Abisai 183. c. Abisace nourisheth Dauid 186. i. Abner Sauls vncle 132. l. questioneth with Saul ibid. m. Generall of his army 147. c. maketh Isboseth king 160. g. reuolteth from Isboseth 161. a. killeth Azael 160. perswadeth the Gouernours to create Dauid king 161. c d. is slaine 162. g. Abraham son of Thares 11. c. tenth from Noe ib. e. taught the Aegyptians religion artes 13. b c. first preacher of the word 12. i. his wisedome ib. an Astronomer 12. k. 13. c. an Arithmetitian ibid. c. his house 12. l. oppressed by famine ibid. m. deuided the land with Lot 13. c. rescueth Lot and the Sodomites 14. h. A son promised him 14. k. 15. b. foretolde his progenie to be euill intreated 14. k l. circumcised himselfe and Ismael 15. b. entertaineth Angels and entreateth for the Sodomites ib. d e. intended to offer his son 18. h. k. marrieth Chetura 19. prouideth a wife for his son ib. d. dieth 20. l. is commended ibid. Absence of Dauid excused 147. c d. Absolon killeth Amnon 173. a. fled to Gessur 173. c. reuoked from banishment and how ibid. d e. affecteth the kingdome 174. k. proclaimed king ibid. l. passeth ouer Iordan 177. d. his ouerthrow 178. h. slaine by Ioab ib. i. Abundance foretold 40. l. Abundance of siluer 204. h. Abundance of victuals foreshewed 228. i k. effected 229. d. Abundance of victuall shewed 722. g h. Acclamation of the people 451. c. Accusation of Laban against Iacob 25. b. of Iacob against him ib. d e. of Putifars wife against Ioseph 32. g. of Doeg against Achimelech 149. a. of Aristobulus and Hyrcanus 353. b c. of Antipater against his brethren 595. f. of Herod and Nicholaus 602. m. 603. a. 604. h. of Antipater against Archelaus 609. d. of the Iewes 612. k. Achab son of Amri king of Israel 214. h. followeth impieties ibid. tooke to wife Iesabell ibid. seeketh Elias 215. c. coueteth Naboths vineyard 217. b. his repentance ibid. f. twise ouercommeth the Syrians 219. a b d. reprooued for dismissing Adad 220. h i. imprisoneth Micheas and why 220. i. 221. b. reiected his aduice 221. e. f. wounded dieth 222. g h. Achabs 70. sons 232. Achar stole the spoiles dedicated to God 102 m. hid them in his tent 103. a. found guiltie and put to death ibid. c. d. Achaz of Iuda sacrificeth his son 241. a. serueth Idols ib. a b. 242. g. ouerthrown in battell 241. c. hireth Theglaphalasar 241. f. shutteth the temple gates 242. h. dieth ibid. Achias reprooued Salomon 204. l. foretold Ieroboam to be king ouer 10. tribes 205. c. Achis a king of the Philistines 148. h. leadeth out Dauid against the Hebrewes 156. k. dismisseth him and why ibid. l m. Achitophels counsell against Dauid 176. a. hangeth himselfe 177. b. Acmes letter to Antipater 446. m. 447. a. executed 450. g. Acquaintance of Rebecca with Abrahams seruant 20. g. Act of Saul most malicious 149. d. an Action how said to be good 140. h. Action of Saul and his people 139. e. Acts of the Israelites 109. b c d e f. Acts of Simon against the Zelous 692. h. c. Act most cruell 723. c. d. Actian warre 584 h. Adad king of Damasco ouercome 167. a. Adad king of Syria proposeth conditions to Achab 218. h i. k. ouerthrowne 217. a. his second expedition ibid. c. taken prisoner is dismissed ibid. d e. discomfiteth and slaieth Achab 222. g. h. asketh counsell of Elizaeus 229. c. his death foretold 229. f. Adam created and how 3. f. placed in paradice 4. g. forbidden the tree of knowledge onely 4. h. transgresseth ibid. i. cast out of Paradice 5. a. begot Cain and Abel ibid. a and other children also 6. g. his age and death ibid. g h. 7. b. prophecied of a twofold destruction ibid. h. Adar a moneth of the Hebrewes 99. e. Ader enemie to Salomon 205. a. spoiled the landes of the Israelites 205. c. Adoni-bezec taken 109. c. punished confesseth Gods iustice ibid. c. Adonias affecteth the kingdome 186. i. flieth to the Altar 187. d. requireth Abisace 291. a c. slaine ibid. c. Aduersities befell the Israelites 113. c. and why ibid. c. Aduice of Raguel allowed 58. i. of the Elders reiected 206. i. of young men accepted ibid. l. Adulteresse her policie 32. g h. Adulterie 71. b. punished 94. h. Adulterie of Elies sonnes 125. b. Adulterie of Dauid 169. d. Affaires of Ioseph 639 b. Affection of Ioseph toward his brethren 38. l. of Ionathan to Dauid 144 m. Affinitie of Iacob with Rachel 23. b. of Saul and Ionathan with Dauid 144. i. 145. b. of Demetrius with Ptolemey 326. h. Affliction of the Hebrewes with the causes thereof 41 b c d. 46. g. l. 47. e. Africa from whence it tooke his name 19. c. Agag king of the Amalechites taken 139. c. spared and why ibid c. put to death 140. l m. and why ibid. Agar Saraes handmaid 14. m. contemned her mistris and why ibid. m. fled commanded to returne 14. m. 15. a. promised happines 17. c. brought forth Ismael ibid. a. cast out with her sonne 17. b. comforted ibid c. Age of Isaac at his offring 18. g. when he died 27. d. Age of the fathers before the floud 7. a b c. Age of Abraham 20. l. of Iacob 40. m. Aggaeus the prophet encourageth the Iewes 271. b. Agreement of the seditious 700. m. 710. h. Agrippa offereth 100. fat Oxen 413. c. reconciled to the Ilyensians 414. g. confirmeth the Iewes priuiledges 415. c. writeth to the Ephesians 422. h. Agrippa becommeth poore 472. i. k. borroweth money 473. b c e admitted to Caesars
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
violence they cast themselues vpon their enemies They that were neere Vrias seeing them draw neere retired backe againe according as Ioab had before hand commanded them but Vrias being ashamed to flie or forsake his ranke expected the enemie and valiantly encountring him he slue diuers of them but at last being inclosed and shut in the middest of them he was slaine and with him some other of his companions perished in the conflict This done Ioab sent messengers vnto the king to certifie him that not enduring the delay of the siege and assailing and scaling the walles he was compelled to returne backe into his campe with losse of some men and repulse from the Citie yet had he commaunded the messengers that if they perceiued the King to be displeased with the newes they should gâ—…ue him to vnderstand that Vrias was dead The King hearing this discourse according as Ioabs messengers had deliuered it made a shew to be displeased saying that it was a fault in him that he had so neerely approched the wall alledging that he might haue done farre better to haue taken the towne by mine or engine vrging in way of example the act of Abimelech Gedeons sonne who intending to surprise by force a tower that was within the Citie of Tebez was stroken with a stone which was cast at him by an olde woman whereupon he that was a valiant man for entring an action ouerâ—…ash and dangerous shamefully died In remembrance of whose desaster they ought to haue beene more warie and not to haue approched the wall of the enemie so neerely For it is a verie good point in warre to haue in memorie both fatall and fortunate successes to the end that when a man is in the like daungers he may follow the one and flie the other Whilest thus he rebuked them the messenger certified him of Vrias death which did somewhat appease him So that he commaunded them to tell Ioab that it was but an humane accident and that such was the nature of warre that sometime the one side had the better and sometime the other to conclude that he should prouide for the siege and take care least hereafter they should receiue any further losse counselling him by trenches and engines to ruinate the wall and commaunding that all those that were in the towne should be put to the sword The messenger thus dismissed reported all these things vnto Ioab according to the Kings commaundement But Vrias wife hauing notice of the death of her husband wept and mourned for him diuers daies and when the dule and lamentations were finished and performed to the dead the king espoused her incontinently and she bare him a man child yet God beheld not this mariage with a fauourable eie but was wroth with Dauid and appearing to the Prophet Nathan in a dreame he blamed the king verie sore Now Nathan who was a wise and experienced man knew well that when kings are displeased they suffe themselues rather to be ouercome by passion then by reason for which cause he determined to conceale the menaces and threatnings that God had made for that time and discoursed of other profitable matters with Dauid after this manner requiring the king that it would please him to censure and deliuer his opinion in the same Two men said he dwelt in one and the same Citie the one of them was rich hauing many troupes of great and small cattell the other that was poore had but one only sheep which he nourished with his children sharing him out a part of that whereon he fed and louing her as tenderly as a man would doe his onely daughter It hapned that this rich man had a stranger that repaired to his house for whose entertainment he would not suffer any one of his own beasts to be slaine but sent a violent messenger who tooke away the poore mans sheepe and caused it to be dressed to entertaine his guest This report of Nathans displeased the king very sore in so much as he swore vnto him that he that had beene so bolde to commit such an act was a wicked man and that reason required that he should restore him fourefold and that after he should be put to death Whereunto Nathan replied saying that it was he that deserued this punishment who had giuen sentence against himselfe in that he had presumed to commit so grieuous a sinne Moreouer he certified him of Gods displeasure who notwithstanding he had made him king ouer all the Hebrewes and Lord ouer all the nations round about which were diuers and great and who besides these things had warranted him from the hands of Saul and had giuen him wiues whom he had espoused iustly and lawfully was so despised and dishonoured by him that he had espoused and kept by him an other mans wife and caused her husband to be slaine and betrayed him vnto his enemy For which sinnes of his he pronounced that he should be punished by God and his wiues should be violated by one of his owne sonnes who should likewise lay a snare for him so that he should suffer a manifest plague for the sinne he had committed in secret Moreouer said he the sonne which thou shalt haue by her shall shortly die After the king had receiued this message he was sore troubled and being confused he powred forth tears sighed for sorrowes confessing that he had done wickedly for vndoubtedly before this time he had alwaies feared God and had neuer in his life offended him but in that act with Vrias wife Whereupon after his submission God was appeased and tooke compassion of him promising him to continue both his life and kingdome and that he would be no more displeased with him if so be that he repented him of the sinne he had committed After that Nathan had declared these things vnto Dauid he departed vnto his owne house But God inflicted a grieuous sicknesse on the infant that was borne by Bethsabe for which cause the king was sore agrieued and for seuen daies space would take no refection notwithstanding that he was earnestly instanted thereunto by his houshold seruants He put on likewise a mourning habit and laide himselfe on the ground vpon a sacke beseeching him that it would please him to grant him the childes life towards whose mother he bare so exceeding loue and affection But when the infant was deceased about the seuenth day of his sicknesse his seruants durst not certifie him thereof supposing that if it should come vnto his eare he would the more obstinately abstain from eating the care of his person and should be in danger by reason of his disordinate griefe for his childe to procure and hasten his own death considering he had so vehemently bin afflicted and tormented for his onely sicknesse But the king perceiuing by their lookes that his seruants were troubled and that they concealed some fatall harme and gathering thereby that his sonne was dead
that their auncestors had transgressed the lawes of Moses they should be in danger to be dispossessed of their countrey and abandoned by all men should at length perish miserably When the prophetesse had heard the kings commandement she willed those that were sent vnto her to returne vnto the king and to certifie him from her that God had giuen a sentence against them which might not be reuoked by any praiers whatsoeuer namely that since they had transgressed the law of Moses the people should perish and should be cast out of their countrey and depriued of al their goods that they had and for that they haue not grown to amendment in so long time notwithstanding the prophets had exhorted them to repentance and had foretold the punishment of their impieties which should happen vnto them to the end that they might beleeue that God is God and that he faileth not in any thing that he hath foretold by his prophets Furthermore she said that he forbore as yet to send these afflictions vpon them for Iosias sake who was a vertuous man but that after his decease God would poure his intended punishments vpon the people This prophecie of the woman they signified vnto the king who sent into all parts and assembled the people in Ierusalem commanding the Priests and Leuites and generally all men without distinction of age or person to be present in that conuention Now when they were assembled he first of all caused the sacred bookes to be read and afterwards standing aloft vpon his throne he caused all the people to sweare and promise that they would serue God and keepe Moses lawes Whereupon all of them did willingly approoue whatsoeuer he said promising to doe that whereunto they were exhorted And therewithall offering vp present sacrifices vnto God they besought him to shew himselfe fauourable and mercifull towards them The king likewise commanded the hie priest that if there were any necessarie in the temple which were made by his predecessors in honour of Idols and strange Gods he should cast it out And after that a great quantitie was found therein all of it was gathered togither and burnt and the ashes afterwards were scattered here and there And as touching the Priests that appertained to Idols that were not of the race of Aaron he put them to death When these things were thus executed in Ierusalem he came afterwards to the plaine countrey and all that which Ieroboam had erected there in honour of Idols he vtterly defaced it and the bones of the false Prophets were burnt vpon the altar that Ieroboam had builded This had the prophet foretold that came to Ieroboam at such time as he offered sacrifice and told him in the presence of all the people all that which should happen namely that one of Dauids posteritie called Iosias should doe these abouenamed things which prophecie tooke effect three hundreth sixtie and one yeere after After this King Iosias transported himselfe to the Israelites who had auoided the captiuitie and seruitude of the Assyrians and perswaded them to forsake their impieties and the seruices they had performed to strange Gods and to honour the soueraigne and true God of their fathers and to cleaue vnto him He made a search also thorow euerie house borough and citie fearing least as yet there should be any Idol hidden Hee likewise sought out the chariots that were made by his auncestors in honour of the sunne and all that which was adored whatsoeuer it were and vtterly abolished the same After hee had in this sort purged the countrey he assembled all the people in Ierusalem where he celebrated the feast of vnleauened bread and the solemnitie of Easter Towards the performance whereof he gaue the people young kiddes and lambes to the number of thirtie thousand and three thousand bullocks for burnt offrings and the chiefe amongst the Leuites distributed amongst the other Leuites fiue hundreth lambs and fiue hundreth bullocks Hauing therefore such an abundance of beasts they sacrificed according to the law of Moses the priests taking charge thereof and confirming the rest of the people by their example Neither was there euer such a solemnitie kept by the Hebrewes since the time of Samuel the Prophet because all things were done according to the lawes and auncient customes which were obserued in the time of their fathers After this Iosias liued in peace riches honour and estimation amongst all men and thus finished his life CHAP. V. Diuers exploits of Nechao NEchao King of Aegypt hauing gathered great forces conducted his army towards the floud Euphrates to warre against the Medes and Babylonians who had destroied the empire of Assyria for Nechao affected the gouernment of all Asia Now when he drew neere vnto the Citie of Mende which was vnder Iosias subiection King Iosias denied him passage and would not suffer his army to march thorow his countrey For which cause Nechao sent a Herauld vnto him to let him vnderstand that it was not against him that he made warre but that he bent his course towards Euphrates for which cause he wished him in no sort to hinder his intended iourney least thereby he should be constrained to make warre vpon him But Iosias respected not this demaund of his but resolued himselfe to hinder his passage thorow his countrey And truely I suppose that the destinies pricked him forward to this arrogance to the end he might haue some occasion to doe something against Nechao For whilest he disposed his army and rode from one band to an other being mounted vpon his chariot he was strooken with an arrow that was shot by a certaine Aegyptian which cooled and tempered the spleene he had in warre For feeling himselfe sorely ouerpressed with paine by reason of his wound he commanded his army to retire and returned himselfe to Ierusalem where he died of his wound and was buried with his fathers with great magnificence after he had liued nine and thirtie yeeres and raigned thirtie and one For him the people mourned with great heauinesse lamenting and sorrowing for many daies The Prophet Ieremy also made a deploration ouer him in lamentable verse which is as yet extant euen in these daies This Prophet left in writing those euils that should afterwards happen vnto the citie and the captiuitie wherewith we are entangled at this present and the surprisall of Babylon Neither hath he alone foretold the same but the Prophet Ezechiel hath likewise done the like who first left two bookes written of the same argument These two Prophets were of the race of the Priests But Ieremy kept in Ierusalem from the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of Iosias vntill the destruction of the Citie and temple as in time and place conuenient we will declare setting downe those occurrences that hapned to this Prophet After the death of Iosias heretofore mentioned his sonne Ioaz succeeded him in the kindome at such time as he was
were taken from the Barbarians which king Herode had placed there with all those spoiles which he had taken frō the Arabians In a corner on the north side there stood a verie strong and defenced fortresse builded by the Asmonians who were Herods predecessors and had beene both kings and high priests and had imposed a name on that tower which was Baris in which they kept the priestly vesture where with the high priest was wont to be adorned at that time onely when he was to offer sacrifice King Herode kept the same in that place and there remained it after his death vntill the time of Tiberius Caesar vnder whom Vitellius gouernour of Syria came vnto Ierusalem where he was entertained by all the people with as great magnificence as was possible and being desirous to acknowledge the fauours that he had receiued at their hands being requested by them that they might haue the keeping of the high priests ornaments he wrote vnto Tiberius Caesar to grant them that fauour til the death of king Agrippa the Iewes had the same in their possessiō But after that Agrippa was dead Cassius Longinus that gouerned Syria Cuspius Fadus lieutenant of Iudaea commaunded the Iewes to return the same into the fortresse Antonia saying that the Romans ought to be Lord therof as they had beene in times past For which cause the Iews sent embassadors vnto Claudius Caesar to request his fauour therin who arriuing at Rome found the young king Agrippa there who besought the Emperour that it might be lawfull for him to haue the keeping of the habit who commaunded Vitellius the gouernour of Syria to deliuer it vnto his hands Before time it was kept vnder the seale of the high priest and the custodie of the tresurers on the eeue of a certaine solemne feast the tresurers went vp to the captain who kept the forttesse for the Romans and after they had opened their seale they tooke the habit and after the feast was past they returned it backe againe vnto the same place and shut it vp vnder the same seale in the presence of the captaine All which we haue thought good to lay open to make the diuersitie knowne that was vsed in that care After that Herode had in this sort builded this strong tower for the securitie and guard of the temple he called it Antonia for the loue of Antonius his friend and one of the chiefest men in Rome In the westeme part of this porch there were foure gates whereof the one opened vpon the kings pallace to which there was a direct way thorow the midst of the valley the two others led vnto the suburbes and the fourth opened vpon the rest of the citie and gaue open passage vnto the same by the meanes of a number of staires by which men might descend to the foot of the valley and from thence there was an ascent by other staires to ascend vpwards For the citie was scituate neere vnto the temple after the manner of a theater and was bended to the southward by a deepe valley As touching the fourth side turned toward the south it had likewise certaine gates in the midst thereof and vpon the same there was a triple gallery verie royall and princely the length whereof extended from the orientall valley as farre as the westerne For it was impossible to extend it any further This worke was one of the most famous peeces that was euer seene vnder the sunne For the depth of the valley was so great that it was impossible for a man to see the bottome if he looked downward from the higher part and notwithstanding on the same he erected this porch of so great a height that but to looke from the toppe thereof and to consider the depth as well of the valley as the height of the porch it would make a man giddie and his eye could not peirce vnto the immesurable bottom of the same It had in length foure rankes of pillars opposed the one right ouer against the other for the fourth pane of the wall was fortified with a wall of hewen stone the thicknesse of the pillars was such that it was as much as three men could fadome holding one an other by the hand and the length was of twentie and seuen foote with a double base at the bottome The whole number of them was one hundreth sixtie and two and they had Chapters engrauen and damaskt with Corinthian worke All this building was so huge that it mooued admiration in those that beheld the same Betwixt these foure rankes there were three porches whereof two were on either side containing in breadth each of them thirtie foote and in length a stade or furlong and more then fiftiē foote in height That in the midst was in breadth once and a halfe as much as these two and in height twise as much For it surpassed the rest by farre The floore was made of goodly plankes engrauen with diuers figures and the roofe thereof was farre higher then any of the rest in which certaine huge beames were morteised on which there were certaine pillars builded vnited and annexed so fitly togither that it is a matter incredible to those that haue not seene the same and admirable to him that beholdeth it Such was the fashion of the circuit of the first porch In the midst and not farre off from the other stood the second whereunto there was an ascent made with few steppes It was inclosed with a separation of stone with an inscription forbidding any stranger to enter the same vpon paine of death This inward porch both to the southward and the northward had three gates in ranke equidistant the one from the other and toward the eastward had one great gate by which those men entred who were cleansed with their wiues For beyond that place it was not lawfull for the women to haue accesse But the third inward space was onely accessible by the Priestes In it was the Temple and before the same the altar on which they were woont to offer burnt sacrifices vnto God But Herode durst not enter the interior sanctuarie from whence prophane men were excluded by the lawe but by the mediation of the priests he intended the structure and building of the inward porch and finishing in eight yeeres space the rest of the edifice at length also he finished the Temple it selfe by the indeuours of the same priests within the terme of one yeere and six moneths By which meanes the people were replenished with the fulnesse of ioye and euerie one gaue thankes vnto God for that the whole worke was finished so speedily and wished all happinesse to the king for his cost and diligence in the execution and finishing thereof and they celebrated a great feast in honour of the restauration of the Temple Then did the king offer vp three hundreth oxen vnto God and the rest of them each one according to his abilitie offered
to doe it We affect the kingdome of our father he being yet aliue Wherein Is not that purpose of ours vaine and friuolous we hauing alreadie beene graced with kingly honours And suppose we were not yet might we hope for them But could we expect them by killing of thee whom both earth and seas would disdaine after so execrable an offence Or could we haue expected that the loyaltie of thy subiects and the lawes of our nation would haue permitted vs hauing gotten the kingdome by murthering our father to haue enioyed the same and entred into the holy temple which thou didst repaire Or suppose we despised them all yet could any one that murthered thee escape Caesar being liuing Thy children by thee begotten are not so impious nor foolish though more infortunate then thy estate requireth And seeing thou hast nothing to accuse vs of or nothing to prooue any accusation laid vnto our charge how canst thou be perswaded that we are guiltie of such inhumane actes Is it because our mother was put to death But her death ought rather to haue made vs more warie then insolent and rash We could speake more in our owne defence then this but what need is it to excuse that which was neuer done Wherefore we beseech Caesar who is Lord of all and now our Iudge onely this that if thou canst O my father put away out of thy minde all suspition of vs to suffer vs to liue hereafter how vnhappie and vnfortunate soeuer for what is more miserable than to be rashly accused without cause But if thou canst not we liuing liue without feare of vs let vs die condemned by our owne censure For our liues are not so deere vnto vs that we desire to keepe them to his molestation that bestowed them vpon vs. Caesar with these words though before not greatly crediting such accusations and slaunders laid against them was now more mooued to beleeue that they were guiltlesse and the rather for that fixing his eies vpon Herode he perceiued him also to be much mooued and all that were present were sorrowful for the young men so that all courtiers present thought hardly of the king for the absurd friuolous accusation framed against thē and the flower of their age wherin they were now indaungered moued all mens minds what they could to assist them And much more were they incited after that Alexander had ingeniously refuted his fathers accusations the accused remaining stil in the same habit and place and for griefe fixing their eies vpon the ground At last some hope appeared so that the king himselfe seemed to need some excuse for hauing so rashly accused his sonnes without any certaine proofe of his accusations At last Caesar hauing a while deliberated with himselfe pronounced that the young men were innocent and guiltlesse of the crimes laid vnto their charge yet herein they were culpable in that they had so behaued themselues that they gaue their father occasion herein to suspect them And as for Herode he requested him to lay aside all suspition and to be reconciled vnto his children For it was vniustly done of him to beleeue such forged accusations against those whom he had begotten and that one might recompence another in time to come for their former offences and renew the good will betweene them in times past if to abolish all suspicions either did hereafter shew himselfe more friendly to other then before Caesar hauing thus admonished the young men they preparing themselues to intreat their fathers wonted fauour he not expecting so long came and embraced each of them one after another they weeping exceedingly and all those that were present both seruants and others did the like Then giuing humble thanks vnto Casar they departed togither and Antipater with them counterfaiting himselfe to congratulate their good hap for that they were now reconciled vnto his father Within a few daies after Herode gaue Caesar three hundreth talents who was now bestowing his gifts and presents at Rome and exercising his liberalitie vpon the people And Casar againe bestowed vpon him halfe of the reuenewes out of the mines of the mettall in Cyprus and the other halfe vnto the ouerseer thereof and gracing him otherwaies also he gaue him leaue to chuse which of his sonnes he pleased for to succeed him in his kingdome or if he had rather to distribute it amongst them all which Herode presently would haue done but Caesar would not permit him affirming that during his life he should keepe it all whole and vndeuided and his sonnes should be subject vnto him After this Herode returned againe into Iudaea in whose absence the Trachonites that were no small part of his kingdome were reuolted yet by the industrie of the captaines he left to ouersee all in his absence they were conquered againe and forced to doe as they were commaunded As Herode and his sonnes were sailing towards home arriuing at Eleusa a citie of Cilicia which is now called Sebaste he found Archelaus there who was king of Cappadocia Archelaus did courteously entertaine Herode and was verie ioyfull that his sonnes and he were made friends and that Alexander his sonne in law had so well cleered himself and his brother of the crimes laid vnto their charge And so each one bestowing vpon the other princely gifts they departed taking their leaues one of the other After this Herode being new returned into Iudaea and calling the people togither into the temple told them all that had past in his absence from them and the courtesie of Caesar and tolde them also of other affaires that he thought meet for them to know and turning the latter end of his speech vnto his sonnes and exhorting the courtiers and common people to concord he told them that his sonnes should raigne after him and first of all Antipater and after him his sonnes that he had by Mariamme Alexander and Aristobulus in the meane time euerie one of them should honour him as King and Lord notwithstanding his olde age which for long experience was the fitter to gouerne seeing there was nothing in him wanting to keepe both his subiects and children in their obedience and that the soldiers also if they onely respected him should liue in all happines and felicitie without molestation Hauing thus spoken he dismissed the people some thinking he had spoken according to equitie others thinking cleane contrarie For hauing now as it were caused an emulation amongst his children there was as it were alreadie a shew of some mutation CHAP. IX How Herode hauing finished Caesarea for ioy thereof did celebrate euerie fifth yeere certaine sports ABout this time Caesarea was finished the tenth yeere after it was begunne to be built the eight and twentith yeere of Herodes raigne in the hundreth foure score and twelue Olympiade In the dedication hereof there was great pompe and sumotuous preparations for all musitians were brought hither to striue one with another who was
him to disobey him therein and whilest he was in danger of death for this his delay the sodaine and successefull death of Caius warranted him from the same Yea so farre stretched his vnbridled fury that hauing a daughter newly borne he caused her to be caried into the Capitol and laid at the feete of the Image of Iupiter saying that that child was common betwixt him and Iupiter leauing the iudgement to all men which of the two parents were the greatest And notwithstanding all these his misdemeanours yet did men tolerate him He gaue liberty to slaues also to accuse their masters of whatsoeuer crimes they would which was so much the more hateful because all things were done by Caesars authoritie to his good liking so that Pollux who was Claudius bondman durst accuse him and Caius the Emperour was contented among the Iudges to heare his vncle brought in question for his life hoping although it fell out otherwise to picke out an occasion to put him to death For hauing filled all the countries of his Empire with false accusations and all sorts of mischiefes and giuing slaues a prerogatiue aboue their masters their Lords deuised many conspiracies against him some for spight and with an intent to reuenge them of those iniuries they had receiued other some pretending by his death to preuent those inconueniences that threatned them In a vvord his death concerned the securitie of the lawes and the safetie of all men and had he not beene speedily cut off on t nation almost had beene vtterly exterminated For which cause I thought good to make an exact and ample declaration of euerie occurrent namely for that the knowledge there of maketh very much towards the manifestation of Gods power and will which bring consolation vnto those who are in aduersitie and keepe them within the bounds of modestie who suppose that their prosperitie should continue alwaies firme and that although they neglect vertue thinke that no euill may befall them Three plots of conspiracie were intended against him and purposed to his vtter mine each of which was attempted by men of great reckoning For Aemilius Regulus who was borne in Corduba in Spaine was fully resolued to kil him himselfe or to make him away by the meanes of his confederates Chaereas Cassius colonel ouer a thousand men was the chieftain of an other band and Annius Minucianus was in no lesse readines to doe his vttermost herein The cause that moued thē to accord thus altogither in hatred against Caius was that in resp◅ct of Regulus he was by nature a detester of all iniquitie for he was a man endowed with great magnanimitie and beautified with a liberall spirit so as he dissembled not any of his counsails but communicated them with many who either were his friends or valiant men fit for execution And as touching Minucianus he was induced to seeke his reuenge thorow the desire he had to doe iustice on him in Lepidus behalfe who had beene one of his especial friends one of the rarest men that were euer found among the Roman citizens whom Caius had put to death thorow the feare he had conceiued of him knowing well that all they against whom Caius was incensed could not escape with lesser indignitie then losse of life As for the third man Chaereas he could not endure the shame reproch of cowardise that Caius had obiected against him but feared besides that his friendship inward familiarity with Caius would draw him into manifest dangers for which cause his owne securitie and honours sake he thought good to make him away Generally all of them were resolued to ridde the world of Caius bring an end to his pride and tyrannical power for their hope was that their attempt should haue good successe which if it happily fel out their coūtrey and cōmonweale should reape the fruits therof for whose securitie safetie it became them to hazard thēselues though it were with the losse of their heads But aboue all the rest Chaereas was egged on with a desire he had to grow famous and thorow the facilitie conuenient means he had to finish the same because his colonels roome gaue him most secure accesse vnto him About that time the Circensian games were solemnized which is a kind of pastime which the Romanes very willingly behold and to this intent they resort to the place of these exercises and the common people is wont to demaund somewhat at their Emperours hands which they desire to obtaine and they after they haue examined their requestes doe neuer refuse them Now they required with instant and importunate supplications that Caius would discharge them of their taxations and moderate the excessiue tributes which they paied but he would giue no eare vnto them and caused those to be apprehended who called vpon the matter most earnestly sending of his guard some of them one way some of them another to put them to the sword After he had giuen this commaundement and they who receiued the charge had fully executed it there were a great number of men slaine The people seeing this ceased to exclaime any more setting light by their goods and seeing before their eies that their refusall would be the cause of their deaths These considerations incited Chaereas the more to execute his enterprise to the end he might finish his furious and lawlesse life whose pleasure was all mens iniury preiudice And very oftentimes was he determined to set vpon him whilest he banqueted yet deferred he to do the same not for that he failed or fainted in his resolution but because he expected some fit oportunitie to hit him home and speede him to the death He liued captaine of Caius guard a long time yet tooke hee small pleasure in conuersing with him But after that Caius had appointed him to gather in his tributes and that money which was confiscate he seemed to haue lesse occasion then before for at that time he had doubled their paiments in the execution whereof he followed his owne nature rather then Caesars commaund and spared those of whom he ought to haue compassion for their pouertie sake Caius was sore displeased herewith and obiected it against him that the cause why he delayed the bringing in of his money was his cowardise and negligence And amongst other outrages that he offered him as oft as he gaue him the watchword as he vsually went to setch it once a day vpon his watch day he gaue him the names of women and other that were full of ignominie notwithstanding that he himselfe was not exempt from note of no lesse daintines For in certaine ceremonies which he himselfe had established he attired himselfe like a woman and was disguised with certaine vailes whereby he might the better counterfait that sexe and yet notwithstanding durst he obiect this dishonour to Chaereas As oftentimes as Chaereas receiued the watchword so often times grew he in choler which
time Helena Queene of Adiabena and her sonne Izates conformed themselues to the religion of the Iewes vpon this occasion that ensueth Monobazus king of Adiabena who was also called Bazeos being surprised with the loue of his sister Helena espoused her and got her with child Vpon a time it hapned that sleeping with her he laid his hand on her belly whilest she lay asleepe him thought that he heard a voice that commanded him to take away his hand from off her belly least he should crush the fruit that was therein which by Gods prouidence should haue a happie beginning and no lesse fortunate ending Monobazus was sore moued at this voice and as soone as he awoke he told it to his wife and afterwards when the child was borne he called him Izates Besides he had another elder sonne by the same wife who was called Monobazus according to his owne name And he had also other sonnes by his other wiues yet notwithstanding Izates was most manifestly his best beloued and so cherished by him as if he had beene his only begotten sonne For which cause his other brothers enuied him which increased their hatred for that all the rest of them were aggrieued because Monobazus made most account of Izates The father manifestly perceiued all this yet did he pardon them knowing that they did it not for malice but for the desire that euerie one of them had to be best esteemed by his father Notwithstanding being affraid least some mishap should betide Izates by reason of the hatred his brethren bare vnto him he gaue him many great gifts and sent him to Abemerigus who raigned at that time in a fort called Spasinus committing his sons life into his hand Abemerigus also intertained him with kind affection and loued him in such sort that in processe of time he gaue him Samacha his daughter to wife and for her dowry hee gaue him a countrey of great reuenew Monobazus being olde and seeing he had no long time to liue desired before his death that his sonne might come and visit him he therefore sent for him and receiued him very louingly giuing him a countrey which he called Caeron which bringeth forth great aboundance of excellent Amomum In this place was the remainder of the Arcke in which Noe was saued during the Deluge which remnants are to be seene at this day if any man haue a desire to behold the same Izates remained in that place vntill his fathers decease But on the very day of his death Helena sent for all the Lords and Gouernours of the kingdome and captaines of all the Army and vpon their assembly she spake vnto them after this manner I suppose said she that you are not ignorant of my husbands mind who hath desired that Izates might be king in his steed and hath esteemed him most worthy of such an honour yet expect I your iudgement in this point For he that receiueth the soueraigntie not from one mans hand but from many and hath the same confirmed vnto him by their consent is happie She vsed this discourse vnto them to trie what their intent was who were there assembled They vnderstanding her mind prostrated themselues first of all vpon the earth before the Queene according to the custome of their countrey and afterwards aunswered her that they approued the kings election and tooke pleasure to obey Izates whom his father deseruedly and to all their contents and the desire of the common people had preferred aboue the rest of his brethren alledging moreouer that they would put his brethren and kinsmen to death before his comming to the end that he might enioy the kingdom with all securitie for by their deaths all the feare that might grow by their hatred and enuie might be extinguished Hereunto the Queene answered that she gaue them thanks for the fauour they bare vnto her and her sonne Izates notwithstanding she required them to suspend their iudgements as touching the death of his brethren vntil such time as Izates himselfe should giue his consent thereunto They seeing they might not obtaine the libertie to put them to death gaue counsaile that they should be kept prisoners vntill his comming to the end at leastwise for their owne parts that they might be out of daunger and that moreouer vntill his comming there might one be appointed to gouerne the estate whom she should esteeme most trustie and faithfull vnto him Whereunto Helena condescended and made his elder brother Monobazus king and set the Diademe on his head and gaue him his fathers seale ring with that robe which they call Sampsera exhorting him to gouerne the kingdome vntill his brothers arriuall Izates hauing certaine notice of his fathers death resorted thither speedily and receiuing his brother Monobazus willing surrender tooke vpon him the gouernment of the kingdome During such time as Izates soiourned in the fortresse of Spasinus a certaine merchant who was a Iew called Ananias hauing accesse to the kings wiues taught them the maner how to serue God according to the religion of the Iewes and Ananias by their meanes growing acquainted with Izates taught him the like and accompained him into Adiabena being drawen thereunto by his earnest intreaties at such time as Izates resorted thither vpon his fathers sending for It chanced also in like sort that Helena was in like manner instructed by another Iew and retained the rites and religion of the Iewes After that Izates came into his kingdome and knew that his brethren and kinsfolke were imprisoned he was much grieued Conceiuing therefore with himselfe that it would be a great impietie in him to suffer them to be slaine or kept bound in prison and that on the other side it were a daungerous matter for him if being at liberty they should remember the euil they had indured for which cause he sent some of them to Rome for hostages with their children vnto the Emperour Claudius and the rest vnto Artabanus king of Parthia Afterwards when he was thorowly assured that his mother was wholy addicted to the religion of the Iewes he endeuoured himselfe the more to shew himselfe zealous therein and supposing that he could not be a perfect Iew except he were circumcised he prepared himselfe to be circumcised Which when his mother vnderstood she laboured to her vttermost to hinder his resolution certifying him that in so doing he should bring himselfe in great daunger for that in being king he would draw himselfe into the dislike of his subiects if they should haue notice that he was addicted to a new religion and to straunge ceremonies and that they would not endure that in being a Iew he should be their king so she for a while by her disswasion restrained him from his desire But the king required counsell of Ananias who according with Helena in the course of her dislike threatned Izates that if he would not obey his mother he would forsake him and depart from him
honourable minded man knowing that their intent was such wrote himselfe vnto Artabanus who had nourished and brought him vp exhorting him to returne vpon his faith and to receiue againe his owne kingdome Artabanus vpon this motion gaue credit to his words and returned backe againe Whereupon Cinnamus came foorth and met him and prostrating himselfe before his feete called him king and afterwards taking the diademe from off his own head he set it vpon Artabanus head who by this means was restored to his former estate by Izates mediation after he had been driuen out of his kingdome by his chiefest nobilitie And hee did not forget the fauours which he had receiued at Izates hands but did him all the honour that possibly he could imagine For he permitted him to weare the straight Tiara and to sleepe vpon a guilded bed which is a priuiledge that belongeth only to the kings of Parthia He gaue him also a goodly and great countrey which he had taken from the king of Armenia This countrey was called Nisibis where in times past the Macedons had builded the Citie of Antioch by them called Mygdonia Presently after Izates was in this sort honoured Artabanus died leauing his kingdome to his sonne Vardanes who repaired to Izates praying him to ioyne with him in that warre which he intended to wage against the Romans but he preuailed not with him For Izates knowing the Romans force and good hap imagined that he vndertooke a matter beyond his power Furthermore he had sent fiue of his young sonnes to Ierusalem to learne our tongue and discipline and his mother likewise to adore in the temple for which cause he the rather held backe and disswaded Vardanes from enterprizing against the Romans whose power and puissant conquests he ordinarily reckoned vp vnto him to the end he might dismay him and by these his allegations cause him to giue ouer his purposed intent of war against them But the Parthian was displeased with this his perswasion and for that cause denounced a present warre against Izates But this his enterprize had but a fruitlesse issue for God cut off all his hopes For the Parthians vnderstanding what Vardanes intent was and how he was resolued to vndertake a war against the Romans slew him and gaue the kingdome to his brother Gotarza whom not long after this his brother Vologesus flew by treason restoring to his two brothers by the mother side these prouinces that is to say the kingdome of Media to Pacorus who was the eldest and Armenia to Tiridates who was the younger When Monobazus king Izates brother and the rest of his kinsfolke saw how happily all things succeeded to Izates and how in respect of his pietie towards God he was honoured and reuerenced by all men they also resolued themselues to forsake their religion and to serue God after the manner of the Iewes But this intent of theirs was discouered Whereupon the chiefest among them grew displeased yet did they not manifest their despite but kept it hidden in their hearts seeking some fit occasion to reuenge themselues as soone as they might They wrote also to Abias king of Arabia and promised him great summes of money if he would take armes against their king promising him that vpon the first charge they would forsake him for that they desired to be reuenged on him who was growne in hatred of their religion Hauing therefore confirmed their promise with an oath they incited him to make haste The king of Arabia performed that which they required and marched foorth against Izates with a great power And when as the first charge was ready to be giuen and before they came to handy-strokes all Izates souldiers forsooke him and turning their backes to their enemies fled in great disorder as if they had been surprized with a Panique feare yet was Izates no waies dismaied but hauing discouered that it was the treason and conspiracie of his greatest peeres he retired himselfe also into his campe where he inquired of the cause that they pretended After he knew that they had complotted with the Arabian he caused the conspiratours to be put to death and the next day after went out to fight and slew a great number of his enemies and constrained the rest to betake them to flight He pursued their king also into a fort called Arsam which he battered and assaulted with such spirit and diligence that he tooke the same with a great quantitie of bootie that was therein and returned to Adiabena with great triumph but he tooke not Abias aliue for hee himselfe had preuented his captiuitie with his death The Lords of Adiabena seeing themselues frustrated of their former hopes in that by Gods hand they were deliuered into the hands of their king could not containe their displeasure but practized further mischiefe for they wrote their letters to Vologesus king of Parthia desiring him to kill Izates and to bestow an other king vpon them who was a Parthian for that they hated their king who had abolished their religion and had embraced a strange lawe The Parthian vnderstanding hereof prepared himselfe for the warre and hauing no iust colour or pretext to inforce the same he sent a messenger vnto him to redemaund those honours which his father had giuen him which if he refused he denounced warre against him Izates was not a little troubled in his minde when he vnderstood this message For he thought that if he should restore the gifts he should offer himselfe great preiudice for that it would be imagined that he did it for feare knowing on the other side that if the Parthian should recouer that which he redemaunded yet would he not be in quiet he therfore commended his cause to God trusting that he would take care of him And building vpon this that the greatest good he might haue was to haue God to helpe he shut his wiues and children in a strong Castle and his corne in his strongest towers and afterwards burned all the hay and forrage and hauing after this manner prouided for all things he expected the approch of his enemie The Parthian came onward sooner then he was expected with a great power of horsmen and footmen For he marched forward in all haste and encamped neere vnto the floud that separateth Adiabena from Media Izates likewise encamped not farre from thence hauing with him about six thousand horsemen To whom the Parthian sent a messenger to giue him to vnderstand how great his power was which extended from the riuer of Euphrates as farre as Bactria recounting vnto him what kings he had vnder his subiection threatning him to punish him very seuerely in that he behaued himselfe so vngratefully towards his benefactors yea in such sort as the god whom he adored might not deliuer him out of the kings hands Hereunto Izates answered that he knew well that the Parthian farre exceeded him in power but that he was farre better assured that Gods power extended
came to espie not to fight yet had he not one wound but all past him as though vpon purpose euery one had striuen to haue mist him But Titus with his sword made way and cut many vpon the face that opposed themselues against him and so they falling downe he with his horse past ouer them The Iewes seeing Titus his valour cried and exhorted one another to set vpon him but whithersoeuer he turned the Iewes fled and would not abide by it likewise those souldiers that were in the like danger with him came of either side him and behind him For no man had any hope to saue his life but onely by making themselues way with Titus before they were so enclosed and oppressed So of two of the most valiant amongst them one was slaine and his horse likewise the other was slaine and his horse taken by the Iewes And Titus with the rest of his followers came safe into the campe And the Iewes getting the first victorie rashly tooke courage and that encouragement being of moment made them verie confident a long time after CHAP. III. How the Iewes did issue out vpon the Romans pitching their tents SO soone as the legion that was to passe by Ammaus was ioyned to the rest of the army that night Caesar presently the next morning remooued and came to Scopos where he might perfectly view the Citie and the temple on the North part where the ground adioyning vnto the Citie is verie low and is properly called Scopos being distant seuen furlongs from the Citie and there Titus commanded two legions to encampe themselues and the fift legion to retire three furlongs further off to the intent that the souldiers who were wearied with trauailing all night might entrench themselues without feare or danger No sooner had they began their worke but presently the tenth legion came who were to passe by Iericho which Vespasian had already subdued and had placed there a garrison This legion was commanded to encampe six furlongs from Ierusalem neere mount Oliuet which is opposite to the East part of the Citie and is enclosed with a deepe valley called Cedron This great and huge army so sodainly arriuing presently staied the warres within the Citie and these three sects of seditious people beholding with admiration the Romans campe became friends and made agreement amongst themselues They began also to question one with another what furie caused them to suffer themselues to be enclosed with three wals to their preiudice and losse of their liues and seeing such preparation of wars towards that they should be as it were beholders of that which was done keeping themselues quiet and not prouiding to resist the assaults of their enemies and some cried we are onely valiant against our selues and we by our sedition massacring one another shall betray our citie into the Romans hands Thus they being assembled togither exhorted one another and presently arming themselues they issued out of the citie and assaulted the tenth legion and with a huge crie set vpon the Romans that were entrenching themselues in the valley The Romans being euerie one appointed to doe some busines for the furtherance of that worke and for that cause the most of them hauing laid down their weapons for they thought the Iewes durst not haue made any excursions although they would that yet they were hindred being at variance amongst themselues they were troubled aboue measure and presently leauing the worke some fled many arming themselues to fight were slaine before they were prepared to resist The multitude of the Iewes was daily encreased because that at the first they got the vpper hand and notwithstanding their number was small yet did they thinke themselues many and so did the Romans thinke them to be because of their good fortune The Romans who were alwaies wont to obserue militarie discipline and order at that time by their sodaine assaulting were so troubled that they obserued no order and so fled yet whensoeuer they turned againe vpon them that followed them they easily wounded the Iewes partly because that they were so earnest that they did not greatly seeke to defend themselues and also they did easily stay the Iewes from pursuing them Yet the number of them that pursued them still encreasing they were also more troubled and so at last forced to forsake the field and leaue their tents and the whole legion had beene in greater daunger had no◅ Titus hauing present newes hereof speedily came and succoured them and vpbraiding their cowardlinesse recalled them from flight who with them and the chosen men he brought encountring the Iewes on one side he slew many of them and wounded diuers and put the rest to flight and forced them into the valley The Iewes being now in the lower ground and hauing endured much at the Romans hands since fortune frowned vpon them turned againe hauing the valley between thē they fought with the Romans And thus the fight continued til the midst of the day A little after midday Titus guarding the rest with those that he brought to succour them and placing others to preuent the excursions of the Iewes he commaunded the rest to ent◅ench themselues in the toppe of the mountaine The Iewes thought the Romans had fled and their sentinell vpon their wals making a signe vnto them by shaking his garment vp and down a great multitude of them ran so violently vpon the Romans as though they had beene sauage beasts so that none of their enemies were able to withstand them but as though they had beene stricken with some engine so all of them were diuersly scattered forced to flie into the mountaine But Titus in the midst of the side of the mountaine remained alone hauing but a fewe with him notwithstanding his friends who for the loue they bare to their Emperor staied with him and abode the daunger did earnestly perswade him to flie from the Iewes who desperately ran vpon their owne deaths and not to endaunger himselfe for them who ought rather to abide it thē he And that he should think vpon his own estate who was not a souldier but general of them all and Lord of the whole world and that he should not abide when all others fled so fast and in such daunger But he made as though he heard them not and opposed himselfe against them that offered to assault him striking them vpon the faces and killing them that made resistance and he pursued them downe the hill and so forced them to retire The Iewes amazed at his valour did not yet flie into the citie but auoided him on both sides and fled into the valley then againe pursuing them that fled from them yet Titus crossing them as they went hindred their pursuit In the meane time those that were encamping themselues aboue seeing them beneath put to flight were discomfited and all fled thinking that they were not able to resist the Iewes and imagining
God forgot all these laments that another mother would haue had and with an adamant sense stouter then the neuer yeelding rocks did neither forsake her children in their torments nor in their death but in a manner compelled them to perish and neuer sorrowed thereat For being apprehended together with her seuen sonnes she considering Eleazars martyrdome did thus exhort them in the Hebrew tongue O my most deare and louing children let vs hasten to that agonie wherein we may bee a credite to our nation and gaine of God an euerlasting reward let vs without feare present our selues vnto those torments which Eleazars aged bodie endured call to mind our father Abraham of worthie memorie who hauing but one onely sonne did sacrifice him being willed by God so to doe and feared not to bring him to the Altar whome he scarcely in his age obtained Isaak also was willing to bee sacrificed by his father knowing that God was to be obeyed in all things the like may be said of Daniel and the three children beleeue me wee are rather tried then tormented For whatsoeuer this world affordeth is mortall and like a shadowe Thus did this mother arme her childrens minds with fortitude and shee a woman wrought in men manlike minds Last of all her children being all dead shee a worthie mother of so manie champions kneeling downe in the place of torment besought of God an end of this life protesting that shee had not for loue of life so long deferred to die but onely for her childrens sake and that now shee had seene them all seuen triumphing The furie of Antiochus now waxed hot and he commanded this worthie mother to be tormented who was as the tyrant willed stripped naked and hanged vp by the hands and most cruelly whipped her dugges and paps were pulled off and shee put into the red hot frying pan being most willing to follow her childrens steps in torment and lifting vp her eyes and hands to heauen shee praied for all women with child and so yeelded her chast soule to God But Antiochus was strucken with fire from heauen O mistris of iustice who followed thy triumphing children O conquerour of tyrants and a looking glasse for all Martyrs O example of patience not onely to women but to all men that shall bee after thee reuerenced of them that now are and to bee worshipped of them that are to come and to be admited not onely of our nation but of all other people Thy light obscureth the bright shining Moone and though shee fill the world with her brightnesse yet is shee not comparable to thy shining light Seuen lights enuiron thee about daseling the brightnesse of the seuen planets could any Painter expresse or any hand in writing declare the torments of your passions none could with drie eye read or behold them all people would flocke about to see it all people would praise and esteeme him to haue offered a great gift who to Gods glorie had painted that noble stratageme And if any skilfull workman should engraue this Tragedie vpon a sepulchre or in his house doubtlesse he should bee freed from all plague and misfortune But where could a stone bee found able to containe so many torments Therefore the olde man Eleazar the mother and her seuen sonnes are for their nobilitie graced with a sepulchre and great reuerence is done vnto them of all men yea euen by men that are not of our religion and there is a constellation of eight starres ordained as an argument of their iustice and Angels did execute their funerals The tyrant himselfe was astonished to see the constancie of such godly minds And thus haue they found such fauour in the sight of God that they haue obtained remission of the sinnes of our nation for presently after the tyrant was destroyed and Israell there was freed from his tyrannie But Antiochus seeing the greatnesse of their faith and their contempt of death gathered an armie of footemen out of the Hebrewes by whose helpe he terrified his enemies and got great renowne O blessed seede of Abraham behold what benefit the agonie of the mother and her seuen sonnes brought vnto vs their Countrimen let vs persist in this pietie that so we may bee like our forefathers behold the death of a few did end all the miseries and sinnes of our whole nation and you by your Countrimens hands vanquished your persecutors enemies and after that victorie our sinnes were remitted and last of all Antiochus being mad and his entrailes deuoured with wormes hee smelling most like carrion gaue vp the ghost and was euer after death punished for his offence For when he could not make the Citizens of Ierusalem to forsake their law he made warre against the Persians and there receiued that which he deserued It now remaineth that we briefely repeate all that is before said For in her agonie this sacred mother said thus vnto the standers by Whilest it was lawful for me I kept my selfe a virgine and then I married and liued a chast wife and forsooke not my owne house I brought forth such sonnes as I need not be ashamed of and though daunted with my husbands death yet I did not forsake my faith this and many things else shee recounted And what more Shee set before her childrens eyes the example of the Prophets how Abel by his brother was slain Isaak to be offered insteade of a sacrifice how Iacob was banished Ioseph kept in prison Daniel cast before the Lyons the three children into the fierie furnace she rehearsed also vnto them the booke of Esaias where it is said Although thou doe goe through the fire the flame shall not burne thee That of Dauid The iust shall haue much tribulation and Salomon who proposeth the tree of life to such as doe the will of God not omitting that of Ezechiel These drie and withered bones shall liue againe Also that of Moses Canticle I will kill and restore to life and the length of your dayes is in my hand Vnhappie tyrant what did thy caudrons red hot and thy torments profit thee what auailed it thee to cut away their eye lids and to pul out their tongues thou thy selfe for so doing dost now endure farre worse then all these And they whome thou killedst beleeue me enioy euerlasting comfort are now secure of blisse reuenge For they who suffer for Gods sake shall haue happie successe when God the Father of all things shall reward them with life euerlasting that follow him Thus haue I consecrated these worthie memorials which I find in the holy Scriptures of the sacred Machabees to the reading of all men that shall liue in any age heereafter The end of all Iosephus workes FINIS A Tahle of the chiefest and most memorable things which are handled in this Worke. A AAron Moses brother 47. a. commeth to meet him ibid. a. holdeth vp Moses hands 57. a. elected high priest 65. c. his sonnes 66.
345. d. Mithridates king of Pontus slaine 354 h. Mithridates warreth with the Egyptians 360. g. commendeth Antipater to Caesar ibid. Moabites put to flight 114. k l. warre against Iosaphat 223. c. kill one another 224. h. Modle of the Temple 188. k. Modle of the Tabenacle proposed to Moses 60. m. Moderation of Saul 133. c. of Dauid 151. d. Moderation in abundance hardly kept 237. e f. Monarchie of the Assyrians destroyed 247. b. Money taken out of Dauids tombe 290. g. 335. f. distributed 713. e. Monobazus king of Adiabena 513. f. Moone made 3. e. her end and motion ibid. c. Monument of the priesthood confirmed 80 i. Monument of Rachel 132. l. of Ionathan 332. l. of Dauid 335. e. of Iohn the high Priest 709. b. orning what 3 d. Moses the sonne of Amram 42. i k. foretold to afflict the Egyptians estate and aduance the Israelites 41. d. cast into the floud 42. k l. taken out thereof ibid. m. called Moses 43. b. adopted by Pharaohs daughter spurned the crowne ibid. b c d. conducted the Egyptians against the Ethiopians 44. g. c. his victory 44. the Iewes lawmaker 2. k l. more ancient then other lawmakers 791. a. flieth to Raguel and why 45. b. c. marieth his daughter ibid. d. sent to deliuer the Israelites 46. k l. confirmed in his calling ibid. g. h i k. perswadeth Pharao to dismisse the Israelites 47. b c. worketh miracles ibid c d e. instituteth the Passeouer 49. c d. conducteth the Israelites 50. g i. exhorteth them ibid. m. praieth to God 51. c. leadeth them through the red sea 51. d. praiseth God 52. g h. sacrificed to God in Sinai ibid. h. beseecheth God to sweeten the waters 53. d. putteth the people in mind of Gods benefits 54. h i. imploreth Gods helpe ibid. l. striking the rocke bringeth out water 55. e. encourageth the Israelites 56. i k. lifting vp his hands c. 57. a. ascendeth Sinai 58. l. how long remaineth there 60. h. fasted ib. asketh counsell of God c. 68. h. numbreth the people 72. h i. sendeth spies to search the land 73. e. retireth the people into the desart 76. l. sendeth forces against the Madianites â—…7 b. appointeth Iosuah his successor ibid. f. exhorteth the people to obedience 89. a b c. sweareth them to keepe the lawe 98. k. 99. a. exhorteth Iosuah 98. m. commaundeth the Iewes to heare the lawe 792. h i. dieth 99. e. Mother eateth her child 228 g h. 734. i k. Mother of the seuen brethren 805. a. 808. k. 810. g. c. Moueables of all sorts 103. f. Mourning of Ruben for Ioseph 30. i. of the Romans 638. l m. of them in Ierusalem 699. a. Mourning for thirtie daies 94. l m. Mourning for Moses death 99. b c. for Saul his sons 158. k. for Abners 162. i. for Herods 451. c. Mountaine of Sinai 45. f. 47. f. Mounts builded lost 719. e f. Mounts raised neere the Temple 732. g. Multiplication of Iacobs posteritie 42. h. Multitude of busines 57. f. of dead carcasses 725. f. Mundus defileth Paulina 467. a c. banished ibid. Murmur of the Israelites 53. f. 74. g. Murther of Simeon and Leui 27. a. Murther of Azael 160. k. of Abner 162. g. of Iorams brethren 230. k. of infants foretold 230. g. Murther of Saul punished 159 f. of Isboseth 163. d. Musicke by whom inuented 5. f. Mutabilitie of fortune 668. l. m. Mutinie of Chore and his complices 77. b c c. Mutinie about the golden Eagle 448. h. Mutinie against Archelaus 452. g h c. N Naas king of the Ammonites 133. c. his outrages offred the Israelites ibid. e f. proposeth hard conditions of peace 134. g. granteth to the inhabitants of Iabes a truce ibid. h. is slaine 134. l. Nabals flocks spared 152. g. his currish answere to Dauids men ibid. i died for griefe 153. a. Nabathaea the countrey of Ismaels posteritie 17. c. Nabathaeans spoiled 330. i. Naboth falsely accused 217. d. stoned to death ibid. d. Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon 250. m. vanquisheth Nechao ibid. 251. a. exacteth tribute and slaieth Ioachim 251. a. establish Ioachin king ibid. e. besiegeth and destroyeth Ierusalem 254. i. 255. a. dreameth a dreame 258. k. erecreth an Idol 259. c conuersed with beasts 260. g h. conquereth the rebels 771. e. builded a pallace 772. g h. besiegeth Tyre 773. b. his death 260. h. Nadab Aarons sonne burned and why 67. a. Nadab Ieroboams sonne 212. g. his impietie and death ibid. g. Name of Saul famous 134. l. Naming of the creatures 3. f. Names of Regions and Nations 10. g. Noami her sorrow 123. e f. returneth into her countrey 124. g. her counsell to Ruth ibid. i k. Norbanus for the Iewes 422. k. Narration of the Arabian wars 432. l. Nathan the Prophet 166. h. forbiddeth Dauid to build the Temple ibid. h. reprooued Dauid 170. m 171. a b. Natiuitie of Iacob and Esau 20 m. two nations proceed of them ibid. m. Nation of the Iewes mixed with all people 747. b. Nations whence descended 10. g c. 11. a. c. Nature forbids a man to kill himselfe 659. c. f. Nature of the Idumaeans 677. b. Nauie of Salomon 202. k. Naum the Prophet 240. l. foretelleth the ouerthrow of the Assyrians ibid. l. Nazarites 81. d. Nechao his exploits 250 h. is ouercome ibid. m. 251. a. 252. l m. Necessitie a sharpe weapon 651. a. Neglect of Gods seruice cause of all euill 207. e f. Negligence of Sauls guard 153. c. d e. Nehemias his sadnes and why 275. c d. inciteth the people to build the wals c. ibid. e. his ardent care in building them 276. h. his death ibid. k. Nemrod 9. b c. Sonne of Chus 11. a. Nephanus and Sabach Dauids captaines 182. m. 183. a. Nephewes of Iacob 39. e. of Herode 598. g h. Nepthalim the sonne of Iacob 24 k. his sonnes 40. g. Nero proclaimed Emperour 521. e. his murders ibid. e f. 622. h. amased at the actes of the Iewes 645. a. sendeth Vespasian to gouerne Syria 745. b. Nicanor labereth to surprise Iudas 314. g. slaine 315. a. Nicanor knowne to Ioseph 658. k. Nicanor wounded 709. b. Nicaule Queene of Ethiopia 202. h. resorteth to Salomon ibid. l. wondreth and praiseth Salomons wisedome 202. m. 203. a. giueth him presents ibid b. Nicholaus Oration 414. i. c. Nicholaus the Historiographer reproued 423. c. Nicholaus accuseth Syllaeus excuseth Herode 432. i. k. prosecuteth the kings accusation 444. k. 445. a c. excuseth Archelaus 454. k. 609. c. defendeth Herod and Archelaus 459. b. 613. a. Nicon the Romans great Ram 711. a. Niger slaine c. 683. c d. Nilus 4. h. maketh Aegypt fertile 40. i. how farre nauigable 694. k. Niniue admonished 239. a. her destruction prophecied 240. l. effected 247. b. Nisan a moneth with the Hebrewes 49. c. Noah the sonne of Lamech 6. m. admonisheth the wicked ibid. k l. buildeth the Arke 6. l. saued with
submit to Cleopatra Demetrius wife who married with Antio chus Soter and committed the authority to his hands Hedio Ruffunus chap. 11. Antiochus hauing driuen Tryphon out of Syria besieged him in Dora Tryphons death The yeare of the world 3827. before the birth of Christ. 137. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 1â—… The yeare of the world 3827. before Christs birth 137. Simon and his son expelleth 〈◊〉 out of Iurie The yeare of the world 3830. before Christs natiuiti 134. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 13. 1. Mac. 16. No faith nor trust no not in sons in law The yeare of the world 3831. before the birth of Christ. 133. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. Ptolomy besieged by Hircanus knowing the power of naturall affection keepeth his mother brethren prisoners whippeth them on the wals and threatneth to throw them downe The end of the histories of the Bible The yeare of the world 3831. before Christs birth 133. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. Hircanus is driuen into the citie by Antiochus Pleiades the seuen starres The weaker sort are thrust out of the city Antiochus affoordeth seuen daies truce to celebrate the feasts of tabercles Hircanus maketh peace with Antiochus and the siege is giuen ouer The yere of the world 3838. before Christs Natiuitie 126. Hircanus taketh a huge summe of money out of king Dauids tombe Nicholas Damascene The years of the world 3838. before Christs Natiuitie 1â—…6 Antiochus slaine in the conâ—…ct against the Parthians Hedio Ruffinus chap. 16. Hircanus surpriseth diuers cities of Syria and laieth deso late the temple that was builded on the hill Gâ—…zim The yearâ—… of the world 3840 before Christs birth 1â—…4 The Idumaeans conquered by Hircanus admit circumcision and the â—…awes of the Iewes Hircanus maketh a league with the Romanes The yeare of the world 3844. before Christs birth 120. The yearâ—… of the world 3844. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 120. Demetrius being ouercome by Alexander is slaine Hedio Ruffinus chap. 17. AlexaÌ„der slain in the conflict betwixt him and Antiochus Gryphus The yeare of the world 3852. before Christs natiuitie 112. Hircanus whilest the brothers weaken themselues by ciuill warres liueth in peace The yeare of the world 3854. before Christs birth 110. Hircanus besiegeth Samaria Antiochus seeking to 〈◊〉 lieue the Samaritanes is ouercome and put to slight by Aristobulus The yeare of the world 3854. before Christs birth 110. Epâ—…tares corrupted with money selleth Scythopolis other places to the Iewes Hircanus taketh Samaria Hircanus is foretold by a voice in the temple of his sons victory Chelchias and Ananias captaines of Cleopatras army Strabo of Cappadocias report of the loyalty of the Iewes Hircanus grow eth in discontent with the Pharisees Eleazar the Pharisee vpbraideth Hircanus that his mother was a slaue The Sadduee Ionathan incenseth Hircanus against the Pharisees The yeare of thâ—… world 3854. before Christs birth â—…10 Hircanus forsaketh the Pharisees and followeth the Sadduces The constitutions of the Pharisees Hircanus death The yeare of the world 3861. before the birth of Christ. 103. Hircanus prophecy of his sonnes The yeare of the world 3862. before Christs birth 10â—… Hedio Ruffinus chap. 18. Aristobulus Hircanus son was the first afer the captiuity of BabyloÌ„ that set the Diademe on his head Aristobulus admitteâ—…h his brother Antigonus to be his copartner in the kingdome and imprisoneth the rest of his brethren and samisheth his mother Antigonus death complotted Aristobulus 〈◊〉 incensed against his brother Antigonus The yeare of the world 3862. before Christs birth 102. Aristobulus Queene contriueth Antigonus death The force of slaunder Iudas the EsseaÌ„ a prophet The punishment of Aristobulus for the murt her of his brother The touch of conscience The yeare of the world 38â—… before Christs birth 101. Aristobulus compelleth the Irureans to be circumcised and to obserue the Iawes of the Iewes â—…un The yeare of the world 3863. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 101. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 19. Salome surnamed Alexandra Aristobulus wife maketh laÌ„naeus Alexander king Alexander executeth the one brother that affected the crowne and honoureth the other Alexander besiegeth Ptolemais The yeare of the world 3864. before Christs birth 100. Zoilus tyrant of Straton and Dora Zoilus and the Gazeans require aide against the Iewes at Ptolomies hands The yeâ—…re of the world 3864. before Christs birth 100. Alexander perswadeth Ptolomey to cut ost Zoilus Zoilus taken Ptolemais besieged by Ptolomey Ptolomey taketh Azota towne in Galilee Ptolomey assaulteth Sephor Hâ—…catontamachi or the warriors by huÌ„dreths Alexanders ouerthrow Ptolomey to the end he might afflict the Iewes with more terrour causeth his soldiers to eat mans flesh Ptolemais taken by force Cleopatra prepareth an army against hir sonne The yeare of the world 3864. before Christs birth 100. Ptolomey driuen out of Egypt Ptolemais besieged and takeÌ„ by Cleopatra Alexanders peace with Cle opatra renueth The yeere of the world â—…873 before Christs Natiuitie 91. Alexander taketh Gadara Alexander besiegeth Gaza Apollodorus by night inuadeth the camp of the Iewes Aretas king of Arabia flattereth the Gazeans with hope of rescue Lysimachus killeth his brother Apollodotus and betrayeth Gaza to Alexander The yeare of the world 3873. before Christs Natiuitie 91. Antiochus Gryphus slain Seleucus Gryphus son maketh warre with Antiochus the Cyzicenian The yeare of the world 3874. before Christs birth 90. Antiochus Eusebes putteth Seleucus to flight Antiochus Seleucus brother fighteth against Antiochus the sonne of the Cyzicenian Demetrius Eucaetus made king of Damasco by Ptolomey Lathurus Cittons cast at Alexander Amath destroyed Obeda king of Arabia The yeere of the world 3884. before Christs natiuitie 80. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 20. Demetrius Eucaerus marcheth out against Alexander Demetrius fighteth with AlexaÌ„der and hath the vpper hand Alexander in this fight loseth all his hired soldiers The yeare of thâ—… world 3884. before Chriss birth 80. Sixe thousand men resort vnto Alexander Alexander being assailed by the Iews besiegeth the mightiest of them in Bethom Alexander crucifeth 800. Iewes and murthereth their wiues children in their presence Alexander surnamed Thracidas Demetrius besiegeth his brother Philip in Beroea Hedio Ruffinus chap. 2â—… Antiochus king of Damalco Antiochus thrust out of his kingdom by his brother The yeare of the world 3887. before the birth of Christ. 7â—… Caparbasa called Antipatris The yeare of the world 3884. before Christs birth 80. Antiochus death and the famine amoÌ„gst his army Areâ—…as king of Coelesyria Cerraine cities taken by Alexander The yeere of the world â—…887 before Christs Natiuitie 77. The Iewes are Lordes of the cities of the Syrians Idumaeans and Phaenicians Pella destroied and rased Alexanders sicknes The yeere of the world 3890. before Christs birth 74. Alexander instâ—…cteth his wife how she may â—…igne securely The authority of the Pharisees among the people The yeare of the world 3890. before Christs birth 74. Alexanders death Alexanders funerall Hedio Ruffinus chap. 22. Hircanus and
he returned to Iericho where a melancholy humour possessed him which made him vnsociable and displeased against all men so that seeing that he must needlie die he bethought him of this facinorous action that followeth For the noblest men among the nation of the Iewes resorting vnto him from all parts vpon his commaundement vnder the expresse penaltie of losse of life to whosoeuer should neglect the same the king shewed himselfe to be displeased as well against those whom he thought guiltie as against them who had giuen him no occasion of discontent For he caused them to be shut vp in a place called the Hippodrome which was the tilt yard to runne horses in and sent for his sister Salome and Alexas her husband telling them that his end was at hand for that his griefes did incessantly tormēt him which as he said he ought to beare patiētly because it was an end that should happen to all men But that which most grieued him was that he saw himselfe depriued of those mournings and lamentations which a king deserued For he was not to seeke of the Iewes affections neither how his death was desired and longed for by them since that in his life time they presumed so farre as to reuolt and dishonour and deface those gifts which he had bestowed vpon the commonweale It therefore behooued them to afford him some solace in that his bitter anguish for that if they refused not to performe that which he had contriued in his mind the lamentation of his death should be magnificent as great as any king euer had and the pleasure and laughter that might accompany his death should be abated by their sorrow who should vnfainedly lament for the whole nation He therefore willed them that at such time as he should giue vp the ghost they should cause the Hippodrome to be inuironed by his soldiers as yet vnaduertised of his death which he would not haue published before this execution were ended and to commaund them to shoot their arrowes at those that were shut vp therein And that when they had slaine them all after this manner they should make him triumph reioice in a double ioy first for that in his death his commaundement should be ratified by effect secondly for that he should be honoured by a memorable lamentation Thus weeping he besought his kinsfolke for the loue they bare vnto him and for the faith they bare vnto God that they should not suffer him to die frustrate of this last honour and they protested that they would not transgresse any point of this his commandement Hereby may a man coniecture what his nature was who tooke pleasure in these aboue named impieties and who through the desire he had of long life hath after this sort delt with those of his bloud and it may be coniectured by these his last commandements that he had nothing in him that fauoured any humanitie for that departing out of the world he had such a mind that all the nation and all such as were most affectioned towards him should be driuen to sorrow and desolation commaunding that in euery house one should be slaine yea such as had not in any sort offended him and were not accused of any misdeed committed against any other whereas they that haue any vertue finding themselues at that state haue beene accustomed to lay aside the hatred which they haue before time borne vnto their enemies CHAP. IX Antipaters death WHilest he deliuered these instructions to his kinred he receiued letters from those Embassadours which he had sent to Rome vnto Caesar the effect whereof was that Acme was put to death by Caesars commaund who was displeased with her for that she had beene of Antipaters conspiracy who was remitted to Herodes pleasure like a king and father to vse him as best pleased him either to exile and banish him or if it so pleased him to put him to death Herode receiuing these newes recouered his spirits a little thorow the pleasure he receiued in the contents of those letters both of the death of Acme as of the power that was granted him to punish his sonne But being assailed afresh with grieuous dolours and vrged with a desire to eate he called for an apple and a knife for before time he was accustomed to pare his apples himselfe and to cut a little and afterwards to eate it when as therefore he had gotten holde of the knife he looked round about him determining to giue himselfe a mortall wound therewith and had surely done it had not Achiabus his nephew hastily stept within him and staied his hand and called for assistance At that time the sorrow and lamentation was renewed in all the pallace as if the king had beene alreadie dead and Antipater certainly beleeuing that his father was departed began to hope and confirmed no lesse in his words that being deliuered out of prison he should obtaine the possession of the kingdome without any difficulty and deuised with the Gaoler as touching his deliuerāce offring him great presents both in hand hereafter as if there had beene no other question but of that But so farre was the Gaoler from obeying that which Antipater demaunded that he presently went and certified the king what his intent was and what offers he had made him Herode who had alreadie conceiued a sinister opinion of his sonne hearing what the Gaoler had said began to exclaime and to beat his head although he was almost at the vttermost gaspe and lifting himselfe vp vpon his elbowes he commaunded that one of his guard should presently haste and kill him and that done that he should be buried in the castle of Hircanion without any honour CHAP. X. Herodes will death and buriall AFter this hauing changed his mind he made a new testament For he appointed Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee and of Peraea whereas before that he had instituted him for his successour in the kingdome He created Archelaus king he gaue the prouinces of Gaulonites Trachonites Batanea and Paneade to Philip his sonne and Archelaus brother by the mothers side to be Tetrarch ouer those places He gaue his sister Salome Iamnia Azot and Phasaelis with fiftie thousand crownes of gold He prouided also for his other kinsmen all whom he left rich in money which he gaue them and reuenues which he assigned them He gaue Caesar ten millions of drachmes in siluer amounting to the summe of eleuen hundreth thousand francs besides a great quantitie of gold and siluer plate and of precious moueables To Iulia Caesars wife and to certaine others he bequeathed fiue millions of drachmes amounting to fiue hundreth and fiftie thousand francs or there abouts After he had in this manner disposed all things some fiue daies after he had caused Antipater to be executed he departed this life hauing raigned after Antigonus death for the space of thirtie and foure yeeres and thirtie and seuen yeeres after he was elected and approued
king by the Romans a man without respect cruell and seuere towards all men slaue to his wrath Lord of the lawes yet so fauoured by fortune as no man more for from a priuate man he became a king and being inuironed with many perils he alwaies happily escaped them and he liued also a verie long time And as touching his family and children in this also in his owne opinion was he happie in that he ouercame his enemies and aduersaries but in my opinion he was most vnfortunate But before the kings death was thorowly knowen Salome and Alexas discharged those that were locked vp in the Hippodrome and sent euerie one of them home vnto his owne house telling them that the king commaunded them to depart and follow their household affaires and till their land wherein they performed a most noble action and benefited the whole nation with an especiâ—…ll good turne After that the kings death was bruited abroad Salome and Alexas caused all the men of warre to be assembled in the Amphitheater in Iericho and first of all they caused Herods letters to be read after which were addressed to the soldiers in which he gaue them thanks for the fidelitie and good will which they had expressed towards him praying them to continue the same to Archelaus his sonne whom he had appointed to be their king after him That done Ptolomey to whom the king had committed the custodie of his seale recited his testament which was to take no effect except that Caesar approoued the same Thereupon all of them began to applaud and honour Archelaus for their king The men of war flocked about him in troupes accompanied with their captaines promising him to serue him with no lesse will and affection then they had done his father praying God to yeeld him his assistance At that time also the kings herse was prepared and Archelaus gaue order that his obsequies should be most royallie performed and bestowed all the furniture that was requisite for that funerall and princely enterment He was carried out in a gilded litter distinguished with diuers precious stones the couer thereof was of azure colour The dead body was apparelled in a purple raiment hauing a diademe vpon his head ouer which there was set a crowne of gold and a scepter was couched in his right hand About this litter marched a great number of his children and kinsfolke and after them followed the men of warre disposed in bands and troupes according to the manners of euerie nation The first of these were the Archers of his guard after them went the Thracians and lastly marched the Germans and Galathians all of them in their warlike abiliments and discipline After them followed all the army marching in order in like manner as when they were addressed to battell each one vnder his corporall and captaine Next these followed fiue hundreth of his houshold seruants bearing perfumes and all these in this equipage marched to the Castle Herodion distant some eight stades or furlongs off For there was he entombed according to the tenor of his testament Thus died Herode Archelaus continued his mourning for seuen daies space in honour of his father For the law of the country ordaineth no lesse And after he had feasted the people and laid aside his mourning apparell he ascended vp into the temple All the way as he went all the people with shouts and acclamations cried God saue the king and with praiers and praises honoured him to their vttermost and he being conducted vp to a high station and state which was made for the purpose and placed in a throne that was embelished with gold entertained the people verie gratiously taking pleasure in their acclamations and congratulations that they bestowed vpon him He gaue them thankes also for that they had blotted out of their remembrance the iniuries that his father had done vnto them protesting in his owne behalfe that he would enforce himselfe to requite their kindnes with an intire affection He likewise tolde them that for the present he accepted not the stile of a king because the honour was bequeathed vnto him with this condition that Caesar should ratifie his fathers testament For this cause although the souldiers that were in Iericho enforced themselues to set the diademe vpon his head yet would he not accept that vncertaine honour because it was not as resolued whether Caesar who was the principall partie in the gift would grant him the gouernment or no. He alleadged likewise that if his affaires succeeded according to his desire he would not according as his honour commaunded him forget their loue or leaue their good affection vnrequited And that in the meane while he would enforce himselfe by all meanes to further those things that concerned them and entertaine them with more kindnesse then his father had done But they according as it is the custome of the common people thinking that those that enter into such dignities declare and open their mindes at the first day the more Archelaus spake kindely and curteously vnto them the more they applauded him and presented him with diuers petitions for certaine grants and donations from him Some of them cried out vnto him that he should cut off some part of their taxes and tallages which they paied annually Othersome cried vpon him to deliuer those prisoners that were committed by Herode of whom diuers had pined a long time in prison Others instantly vrged him to cut off those tributes which had been imposed by him vpon bargaines and sales which was to pay the halfe of the bargaine Whereunto Archelaus did not in any sort contradict striuing to the vttermost of his power to please the people for that he knew full well that their good affection would be no small aduantage toward him in the confirmation of his kingdome That done he sacrificed vnto God and afterward fell to banquetting and entertainment of his friends CHAP. XI The people mutinie against Archelaus MEane while certaine men among the Iewes that were desirous of innouation in their priuate conuenticles bewailed Matthias and his confederates whom Herode had put to death and condemned for racing and defacing the golden Aegle for that incontinently after their decease they had neither been publikely honoured nor lamented for by reason of the feare that the people had conceiued of Herode For which cause at that time they required with lamentations and great cries that their obsequies might be solemnized and as if the dead bodies had receiued some contentation by their teares and tempest of exclaimes they vttered many hainous and disgracefull speeches against Herode and assembling themselues togither they required Archelaus to doe them iustice against those that during Herodes life were in authoritie and especially they demaunded that the high priest who was aduanced by his father should be deposed and that an other more lawfull and vpright might be placed in his steed to offer and exercise the high