better should enjoy it Neither were the resolutions of his Army less prosaging good fortune than his own who forgetting their Wives and Children and the War which was so far from their own Countrey assured to themselves the Persian Gold and all the riches of the East as if already in their possession When they drew near the Asian Shoar Alexander first threw a dart as into an Enemies Countrey and leaping ashoar in his Armour vaulted twice or thrice into the Air He there again sacrificed praying That those Countreys might willingly receive him as King He did the same at Ilium upon the Tombs of those who fell in the Trojan War Advancing afterward towards the Enemy he made Proclamation That none of his Souldiers should plunder since they ought to spare their own goods and not destroy what they came to possess In his Army were thirty Two thousand Foot and Four Thousand five Hundred Horse and a Fleet of one hundred eighty two Ships With which inconsiderable Force it may seem wonderful he durst undertake to overcome all the Western World especially since his Army did not consist of stout young men in the Flower of their Youth but chiefly of Old Souldiers some of whom by the Laws of War ought for their age to have been discharged from further Service being such as served both his Father and Grand-Father whereby they now seem'd Select Masters of War rather than private Souldiers there being no File-leader who was not sixty years old the Order of the Camp being so excellent as it appeared like the Senate of some ancient Commonwealth therefore in the Battle no man thought of flight but of Victory having no hope in the nimbleness of their Feet but in the strength of their Arms. On the other side Darius King of Persia confident of his strength affirmed he would have nothing done by Policy or Circumvention since it was not suitable to his Grandeur to steal a Victory and therefore thought it more honourable to admit the Enemy to enter his Countrey than to fall upon him on the Borders The first Battle was in the Plain of Adrastum where an Army of six hundred thousand Persians were overcome as much by the Policy of Alexander as the courage of the Macedons great was the slaughter of the Enemy whereas he lost only nine Footmen and one Hundred and Twenty Horse whom to incourage the rest he caused to be honourably buried and Statues were erected for them as for some memorable Commanders bestowing great Priviledges on their Relations and kindred After this Victory the greatest part of Asia submitted to him He also made many Wars with the Lieutenants of Darius whom he overcame not so much by Arms as the Terror of his name While he was thus Victorious he understood by a Captive that a Treason was contrived against him by Alexander Son in law to Antipater then the Kings Lieutenant in Macedonia but fearing if he should put him to death it might occasion some Tumult in Macedon he only confined him to Prison in Bonds After this he advanced to Gordium scituate between both the Phrygias which City he desired to be Master of not so much for the plunder as because he heard that in the Temple of Jupiter which was within it there was consecrated the Plough of Gordius the knots of whose cords if any could unlose the Oracle of Old had presaged he should reign over all Asia The Original of the Story was this When Gordius was ploughing in this Countrey with his Oxen great flights of Birds of all sorts flew round about him who going to the Southsayers and Astrologers of the next City to know the meaning he met at the Gate a Virgin of admirable Beauty and asking her whether he should go to be resolved of his doubt she having some knowledge her self in the Art by the instructions of her Parents told him That the Kingdom and Government of that Countrey was presaged to him thereby and offered him to be a companion of his good fortune by giving her self in Marriage to him He was unwilling to refuse so fair a condition which seemed the first felicity of his Kingdom After this Marriage a Sedition arose among the Phrygians and counsel being asked what would put an end to these mischiefs the Oracle replied That there was a necessity of a King And being again demanded who he should be answer was made That they should make him King whom they should find with a Plough entring into Jupiters Temple Gordeus was the man whom they presently saluted as their King who consecrated to Regal Majesty in that Temple the Plough by which the Kingdom was conferred upon him After him reigned his Son Midas who being instructed by Orpheus in the Solemnities of Worshipping their Gods he filled all Phrygia with Religion and Ceremonies by which during his life he was thought safer than by Arms. Alexander soon took the City and entring the Temple inquired for the Plough which being shewn him when he could not discover the ends of the Cords lying hid amongst the multiplicity of the foldings he gave a violent interpretation to the sense of the Oracle and cutting the cords asunder with his sword the knots were undone and he found the ends lying undiscovered in the Mystery of the Twists Mean while he heard of Darius approach with a formidable Army and fearing the danger of the Streights of Taurus he marcht speedily over that Mountain his Foot going five hundred Furlongs without Respite Coming to Tarsus and being taken with the pleasant River Cydnus running through that City he disarmed and covered with dust and sweat threw himself into it which was so very cold that it caused a Chilness and benuming in every joint which rendred him Speechless and made his condition very dangerous and the more because he had received letters that day from Cappadocia that Philip his chief Physician in whom he put most confidence was corrupted by Darius to destroy him However the case being desperate he ordered him to prepare a potion and having received the Cup he delivered these Letters to him and stedfastly beheld him as he drank the Physick and observing no alteration in his countenance in reading them he became more cheerful and in four days was perfectly recovered And now Darius advanced toward him with Three hundred thousand Foot and One hundred thousand Horse and though the multitude of his enemies did somewhat disturb him yet when he reflected what mighty Actions and what notable Conquests over many Nations he had performed with as few men he resumed his former courage but thought it necessary by no means to delay fighting least some discouragement might happen to his Soldiers and therefore riding through the midst of his Troops he by several Speeches and Orations endeavoured to confirm their valour teling them The World had no Souldiers comparable to them and that this one Battle would put an end to their labours but their glory and renown would remain for
encounter falling headlong to the ground his Horse being killed under him he was preserved by the concourse of his Guard. Porus almost covered with Bloud from the many wounds received was taken Prisoner and had such Indignation to be overcome that though he had Quarter given he would receive no sustenance nor suffer his wounds to be dressed being with much difficulty perswaded to be contented to live Alexander in honour of his valor sent him back safe to his own Kingdom He erected there two Citys one called Nicea and the other Bucephale after the name of his Horse He then overthrew the Armies of the Adrestians and divers other people and marching to the Euphitans he found they attended his coming with an Army of two hundred thousand Horse whereupon all his Souldiers being tired as well by the number of their victories as their labours humbly besought him with tears To put a period to his Wars and now at last to think of returning to their Countrey intreating him to consider the years of his Souldiers whose age could scarce suffice to carry them home again Some shewed their grey hairs others their Wounds some their Bodies consumed with sickness others their loss of Bloud which they had freely shed in continual warfare both with himself and Father and therefore desired That the remains of their worn bodys might be buried in the graves of their Ancestors and however if he would not spare them Yet that he would spare himself and not tempt his good Fortune by venturing it too far Moved with these just petitions he to give an end to his Victorys commanded his Camp to be made exceeding mangnificent that by the large Extent thereof the Enemy should be terrified and his fame admired in future ages His Souldiers never undertook any thing more readily and then falling upon their formidable enemy with all their might they soon put that undisciplined multitude to flight and with great Joy returned to their Quarters From thence he marched to the River Acesines on which he saild to the Ocean where two Nations of whom Hercules was the founder submitted to him from whence he saild to the Sycambrians who with fourscore and three thousand armed Foot and threescore thousand Horse were ready to receive him Having overthrown them in the Field he came to their chief City and being himself the first man that scaled the Walls when he found them unguarded he leaped down into the City alone without any guard The Enemy seeing him single with a great shout ran toward him from every place hoping by the death of one man to end the Wars of all the World and revenge the quarrel of so many Nations Alexander resolutely resisted them and fought alone against so many Thousands It is incredible to be spoken that neither the multitude of his Foes the fury of their weapons nor the cries they made to incourage one another could any way affright him he alone kill'd and put to flight so many but at length finding he was overpowered he got to the body of a Tree close under the Wall where he a long time sustained their fury till his Soldiers understanding his danger leapt down to his assistance many of whom were slain and the Battle continued doubtful until the Walls being beat down his whole Army came to his rescue In this Fight being shot with an Arrow under the breast he fainted with loss of Bloud yet fought so long with one knee on the ground till he had killed two who wounded him The cure was more grievous than the wound but being at last recovered though with extream difficulty he sent Polypercan with his Army to Babylon he himself going with a Select party aboard his Fleet to make further discovery of the Ocean and landing at the City of King Ambigerus the Inhabitants believing he could not be overcome by the Sword poisoned their Darts wherewith they forced him from the Walls and killed many of his Souldiers among others Ptolomy was deadly wounded and being ready to expire an herb was shown to Alexander in a dream which being found and steeped in his drink recovered Ptolomy and the greater part of the Army At length the City being taken he returned to his Ships and Sacrificed to the Ocean imploring a happy return into his Countrey and at length arrived at the Mouth of the River Indus where as a Monument of his Atcheivements he built the City of Barse and Erected Altars and having left a Governor over the Indians he marched toward Babylon digging Wells by the way to procure fresh Water to his tired Souldiers Hither many of the Conquered Nations had sent their Ambassadors to accuse his Lieutenants of Oppression and Cruelty whom Alexander without any respect to friendship caused to be put to death in their presence After this he Married Statyra Darius Daughter and gave the most noble Virgins of all Nations for Wives to his Princes thereby to mitigate his own fault He then called his Army together and promised to pay all their Debts that they might carry home all their Booty and pay entire which munificence was remarkable for the vastness of the Sum Twenty three Thousand Talents being laid out in this affair His old Souldiers being thus sent home the younger were much displeased and began to mutiny that they had not the same favour some of whom Alexander chastized and perswaded others but at length finding words would not prevail he leapt unarmed from his Throne among the Armed multitude and seizing twelve of the chief Authors of the Sedition hurried them to Execution none daring to offer the least resistance Calling then together the Persian Souldiers he extolled their constant fidelity both to himself and their former Kings and declarcd he would now commit himself to their Custody and no longer to the Macedons And accordingly chose a thousand of them for his Life-Guard mingling also several Regiments of Persians among his Macedons to learn their discipline which his Army took so much to heart that all weeping they repaired to him beseeching him rather to punish them than to put such a severe affront upon them by which submission they prevailed so far that he dismist and sent back to Macedonia Eleven thousand of his Old Souldiers and their pay was continued to them in their return as if they had still served At this time Ephestion one of his Favourites both for his Beauty Youth and Wisdom died whom Alexander below the dignity of a King lamented a long time erecting him a Tomb which cost twelve thousand Talents and commanding him to be worshiped as a God. Returning to Babylon from the furthest Coasts of the Ocean he had notice that Ambassadors from Carthage and other Cities in Africa as also from Spain Sicily France Sardinia and divers Cities in Italy attended his Arrival the Terror of his name having so possest the World that all Nations submitted to him as a King destin'd to be their Ruler For this cause approaching Babylon
When Joshua saw them thus dejected falling on his face to the Earth he thus addressed himself to God. O Lord thou knowest we have not been induced by our own rashness and temerity to attempt the Conquest of this Land by force but have been thereunto incouraged by thy Servant Moses to whom thou didst promise by divers signs to give us this Country to inhabit and that our Armys should always have the Victory in Battle and of these thy promise we have oftimes experienced the certain accomplishment But now O Lord what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their Enemies for having beyond all expectation received an overthrow and lost some of our Souldiers we are extreamly terrified by this accident lest the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the Land should hear it and should incompass us and cut off our name from the Earth for we have little hope of any prosperous proceedings in time to come But be thou assistant to us O Lord who art Almighty and in thy mercy change our present sorrow into joy our discouragement into confidence and give us Victory Joshua having made this Prayer God presently commanded him to arise and purge the People from that Sacriledge and Theft which had been committed among them by concealing those things which were consecraed to himsef assuring him that his was the cause of their present Calamity which as soon as it was discovered Israel should be again victorious over their Adversaries Joshua hereupon calling for the High Priest and the Magistrates he cast Lots upon the Tribes and the Lot fell upon the Tribe of Judah he then cast them again upon Families and it fell upon the Family of Zacharias Lastly the Lots were cast Man by Man and it fell upon Achan who unable to deny what was discovered by God himself confessed the fact and produced what he had concealed whereupon he was presently stoned to death and the Anger of the Lord was appeased Then Joshua having purified the People led them forth against the City of Ai and laying an ambush of men secretly over night above the City early in the morning he drew the Enemy out to fight who being encouraged by their former success boldly assaulted them but Joshua seeming to retreat and flie drew them farther off the City imagining that the Israelites fled and that they should gain a second Victory over them and thereupon all the Men of Ai and of the next City Bethel were called out to pursue them so that there was not a man left in either City When Joshua suddenly making a stand and giving a signal to those in ambush they instantly marched into the City and set it on fire which when the Men of Ai looking back perceived they presently fled and scattered themselves through the Fields but were pursued so furiously that few escaped the King of Ai was taken alive and hanged on a Tree by Joshua and twelve thousand even all the Inhabitants of Ai were slain that day The spoil they got was very considerable both in Silver and Cattel all which Joshua when he came to Gilgal distributed among the Souldiers The Gibionites who dwelt near Jerusalem having notice what had happened to Jericho and Ai and fearing the same misfortune since they understood that Joshua intended utterly to root out the Canaanites from off the Earth they resolved to send Ambassadors to conclude a Peace with him and knowing that if they owned themselves to be Canaanites Joshua would make no League with them They came to him with protestations that they had no converse nor alliance with that Nation but being incited by the fame of his glorious Victories they were come from a very far Countrey which he might perceive by their old Shoes and Garments and by the mouldy Bread which were all new when they set forth on their Journey but by the length of the way were now in the condition they saw them And that they were assured that God had given the Israelites the Land of Canaan to inherit with whom they therefore desired to be confederate By this subtil practice they perswaded the Hebrews to enter into Amity with them and Eleazer the High Priest and the Council of Elders sware to them that they should for the future be their Friends and Allies and no hostility should be offered them In three days after Joshua incamping on the Borders of their Countrey understood that the Gibeonites dwelt not far from Jerusalem and were Canaanites and sending for the Chief of them charged them with this deceitful dealing who alledged that having no other way to procure their safety they were obliged to make use of this whereupon he called to him the High-Priest and Elders and they concluded not to infringe the Outh of God but however for this treachery they were condemned to be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water to the Camp. When the King of Jerusalem heard that the Gibeonites had submitted to Joshua he assembled live Kings his Neighbours and resolved to fall upon them who perceiving their danger desired Joshua to assist them who marching with all speed to their relief he with his whole Army fell upon them early in the morning and quickly put them to flight and pursuing them to a steep Tract called Bâ—thhoron the Lord destroyed a great number of them by Thunder Lightning and Hailstones from Heaven and the night approaching Joshua with mighty Faith cryed out Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon and the Sun stood still and the Moon was stayed till the Peope had avenged themselves on their Enemies and the Sun did not go down about a whole day and there was no day like that before or after it that the Lord hearkned to the voice of a man for the Lord fought fâ—r Israel and the five Kings hid themselves in a Cave near Makkedah but were discovered and brought to Joshua who commanded his Captains to tread upon their Necks as an evident token to them of success against all the rest After which he slew thom and hanged them on five Trees and their Forces were utterly cut off and destryed After this wonderful success Joshua led his Army to the Mountains of Canaan where having made a great slaughter and taken rich booty he brought back the People to Gilgal The Renown of the Israelites Victories and that they gave no quarter coming among the Neighbour Nations they were possest with extream fâ—ar and resolved to try their utmost strength Whereupon their Kings raised an Army of three hundred thousand Foot â—en thousand Horse and twenty thousand Chariots so great an Host as was sufficient utterly to swallow up the Israelites But the Lord bid Joshua not to fear since they should all surely be delivered into his hand Incouraged by these promises Joshua marcht out couragiously against his Enemies and the fifth day he came upon them The Encounter was strong and the Slaughter very great multitudes being
our dearest bloud and life In the mean time the Kings Commissioners pressing every one to declare himself one of the Jews whether induced by terror or reward steps forth from among the people to sacrifice according to the command of the King wherewith Matthias inflamed with Zeal was so displeased that he and his Sons fell upon him and hewed him in pieces they also slew Apollos the Kings Captain and other Souldiers who withstood them Then he overthrew the Altar and with a loud voice said All that are affected to the Laws of their Fathers and the Service of God let them follow me Whereupon many of them retired with their Wives and Children into the Desarts and Caves but were soon pursued and overtaken by the Kings Captains who again renewed their perswasions to them to offer Sacrifice to the Idols which the Jews absolutely refusing and resolving rather to die than commit such Impiety these bloudy Persecutors assaulted them on the Sabbath day and burnt them in their Caves who neither resisted nor defended themselves lest they should prophane the Sabbath Some thousands of Men Women and Children were there destroyed yet divers escaped who joyned themselves with Matthias and chose him for their Captain who then inform'd them that they might lawfully fight on the Sabbath if they were assaulted else they were guilty of their own deaths And having assembled a sufficient number he destroyed the Heathen Altars and slew those who had forsaken their Religion commanding them to circumcise their Children and driving from every place those whom Antiochus had appointed to see the Laws executed Having thus governed one year he fell sick and perceiving his death to approach he sent for his five Sons John Simeon Judas Maccabeus Eleazer and Jonathan whom he earnestly exhorted to follow his steps its maintaining the Law of God and fighting for their Countrey assuring them of the divine assistance which never fails those who love and fear God but taking pleasure in their virtues will grant them favour to recover their former liberty and peace And saith he God will establish you in the possession of your ancient Laws and though our bodies are mortal and subject to death yet the memory of our virtuous actions will remain to eternity never doubt therefore to venture your lives in so good a Cause but above all I exhort you to love and concord and whatever you find any one most apt and fitted for let him prosecute the same without contradiction from the rest I charge you to obey your brother Simeon a politick and valiant man in what ever he shall Counsel you but make Judas Maccabeus your Captain who is couragious and strong for he shall revenge the injuries and outrages that have been done to our Nation and shall put your Enemies to flight Assist him therefore like men of valour and such as fear God and thereby you shall be sure to prevail Soon after Matthias gave up the Ghost and Judas Maccabâ—us was made General who by the assistance of his Brethren and other Jews drove the Enemy out of the Country and cleansed the Land of Idolatry Which when Apollonius the General of Antiochus in Samaria heard he invaded Judea Against whom Maccabeus went forth and in a terrible Battle overthrew and killed Apollonius taking his Camp and therein a very rich Booty together with his Sword. After this Seron Governour of Coelosyria with the assistance of many Apostate Jews marcht against Judas to Bâ—thoron who observing his Souldiers discouraged by their great numbers and because they had fasted so long and were thereby disabled he incouraged them saying That Victory did not consist in numbers of men but in their Devotion toward God who had so assisted their Forefathers that with small Forces they had often defeated many thousands of their Enemies They were hereby so prevail'd upon that without sear of their multitude they ran all upon Sevon routed his Army and slew him together with eight hundred of the Syrians the rest escaping by flight Antiochus inraged at this defeat commanded Lysias the Governour of Egypt to go with a very strong Army and conquer Judea and then to sell the Inhabitants for Slaves to those that would give most and utterly to destroy and ruine Jerusalem Lysias having this command sent Prolomy Nicanor and Gorgias men of great Authority about the King with Forty thousand Foot and Seven thousand Horse to invade Judea who marching to the City of Emaus greatly increased their Forces Judas having viewed the Camp and number of his Enemies exhorted his Souldiers to repose their confidence and hope of Victory in God alone appointing likewise a Fast to humble themselves before God by supplications and prayers in such a time of extream danger and assuring them that God would have compassion on them and strengthen them to put their Adversaries to shamâ— Next day he mustered his Army discharging all who were newly married or had lately bought Possessions according to the Law and then spake thus to the rest Countrymen and Companions we had never more occasion to express our Courage and contemn Dangers than at this present For if you now fight valiantly you may in this one Battle recover your Liberties whereby you will have opportunity again to serve the True God and live a happy life But if you prove Cowards in this Encounter you will be branded with perpetual Infamy and indanger the utter extirpation of your Nation Consider therefore that if you fight not you must die and on the contrary assure your selves that in fighting for your Religion Laws and Liberties you shall obtain Immortal Glory Be ready Theerfore in the morning to give your mortal Enemies Battle Immediately news was brought him that a strong party of Horse and Foot were design'd to falâ— on him that night whereupon Maccabeus suddenly resolved to break into the Enemies Army the same night while they were so divided Having therefore refreshed himself and his Army and leaving many Fires in his Camp to deceive the Enemy he marcht all night to seek them out Gorgias finding the Jews had forsaken their Camp imagined that they were fled to the Mountains for fear and deligently pursued them But in the morning Judas with only three thousand men ill armed shewed himself to the Enemy at Emaus and having observed their posture he perswaded his men To fight Valiantly since he was certain God would deliver their Enemies into their hands and thereupon causing his Trumpets to sound he fell upon them with such fury and resolution that being absolutely affrighted and surprized they instantly gave ground and having slain such as resisted he pursued the rest to the Plains of Idumea In this fight three thousand of the Enemy were Killed yet would he not suffer his Souldiers to take the spoil telling them that they were still to fight with Gorgias and his Army whom when by Gods help they had beaten they should then securely inrich themselves with the booty Gorgias and his
Army observing from a Hill the flight of their Frieâ—â—s and the readiness of the Jews to give them battel were so discourag'd that they fled likewise whereupon Judas and his men return'd to gather the Pillage where finding great store of Gold Silver Scarlet and Purple they return'd home with Joy praising God for their good success Lysias was extreamly concerned at this overthrow and presently invaded Judea with Sixty thousand Chosen Foot and five thousand Horse and incamped in Bethsura Which Judas hearing came out against him with only ten thousand men and seeing their number so vastly exceed his he cryed earnestly to God that he would please to fight with him and for him and then charged the front of the Enemy with such force that he discomfited and slew above five thousand of them Lysias perceiving the resolution of the Jews who would rather dye than lose their liberty He returned with the rest of his Army to Antioch to reinforce them Mean while Judas assembled the People and told them That having obtained so many Victorys through the mercy of God they ought now to go up to Jerusalem and purifie the Temple that was desolate and to offer Sacrifices according to the Law of the Lord Then going up with a great multitude of People he found the Temple desolate the gates burnt and grass growing within the same At this sad spectacle he and all present could not forbear weeping and presently applyed themselves to purge the Temple Then Judas caused a Table a Candlestick and an Altar for Incense to be made all of Gold putting up a Rail and Gates to the Temple and throwing down the Altar which was prophaned by Antiochus he built a new one of stones neither Newed nor Hammered And on the twenty first of Chasleu or September lights were put in the Candlesticks perfumes layd upon the Altar Loaves set upon the Table and Sacrifices offered upon the New Altar which had been neglected for three years past Then did Judas and his Countrymen celebrate a Feast unto the Lord for eight days praising God with Hymns and Psalms He also inclosed Jerusalem with a Wall and built 〈◊〉 Towers thereon in which he planted Garrisons against the incursions of the Enemy and fortified Bethsura for a defence to it The Nations â—ound about envying this prosperity of the Jews surprized many of them by Treachery whereupon Judas made an incursion slew many Idumeans and brought a great prey out of their Countrey besieging the Sons of Baan their Prince who lay in wait for the Jews and at length setting fire to their Towers killed all that were therein After this he overcame a mighty Army of the Ammorites under the command of Timotheus taking and burning their City of Jazor and leading their Wives and Children Captive into Judea The Neighbouring People hearing of his departure assaulted the Jews and Galaad who retiring into the Fort of Dathema sent to Judas for relief And at the same time Letters came out of Galilee that they were indangered by the Inhabitants of Ptolemais Tyre Sydon and others thereabout Judas hereupon sent his Brother Simeon with three thousand chosen men to relieve Galilee and himself with his Brother Jonathan and eight thousand others marched to Galaad Simeon fought against his Enemies in Galilee and slew about three thousand pursuing them to the Gates of Ptolemais and taking much spoil and releasing many Jewish Prisoners he returned victoriously home But Judas passing Jordan was there inform'd that his Brethren were Besieged in their Cities and Castles and some already in great extremity Hereupon he first fell upon the Inhabitants of Bozra took their City set it on fire and kill'd all able to bear Arms Then marching all night he arrived early next morning to the Castle where the Jews were Besieged by the Army of Timotheus who were just ready to scale the Walls when Judas dividing his Forces into three Battalions couragiously assailed them who hearing it was Maccabeus were surprised with such dread that they instantly fled Judas his men slaying about eight thousand in the pursuit Then marching to Molla he seized it slew all the men therein and burnt it with Fire after which he destroy'd several other places Soon after Timotheus raised another Army wherewith he marched to Jordan exhorting them valiantly to oppose the Jews and to hinder their passage over the River since if they once past Jordan they were sure to be defeated Judas hearing this marched hastily against the Enemy and passing the River unexpectedly fell upon them with such violence that casting away their Arms they fled for their lives some endeavoured to save themselves in Carnain but Judas taking that City and Temple slew them and burnt the same and then he led away all the Jews who dwelt in Galaad with their Wives Children and substance and brought them into Judea When he drew near the Town of Ephion they had barricado'd up his way that he could not pass and refusing upon his desire to open the passage he Besieged the City took it by assault burnt it and slew all the Inhabitants After this passing over Jordan they came into Judea with great joy and gladness praising God and Offering Sacrifices of Thanksgiving for the safe return of the Army because in all these Batrles and Encounters they had not lost one Jew But whilst Judas and Simeon were gone upon these expeditions the two Captains with whom he had left the rest of his Forces with a strict command to have a watchful Eye over Judea but not to join Battle with any Enemy till his return being desirous to gain the repute of valiant men went out with their Souldiers toward Jamnia against whom Gorgias Governor of that place issued out and slew two thousand of them the rest flying back into Judea Then Judas and his Brethren took divers Cities from the Idumeans and with much Booty and great Joy returned home The Bloudy Antiochus being at this time in Persia heard of a wealthy City called Elymais wherein stood a rich Temple of Diana Thither he went and beseiged it but the Inhabitants sallied out and with great loss drove him from thence whereupon he returned to Babylon where having notice of the overthrow of his Captains in Judea and the power of the Jews this with his former defeat so wrought upon him that he fell sick and finding no hope of recovery he called his most familiar Friends about him telling them That he was plagued with this violent and desperate affliction for tormenting the Jews destroying the Temple committing horrid Sacriledge and contemning the True God But now he vowed if it pleased the Lord to restore him he would become a Jew and do many great things for them and would go through all the known World to declare thâ— power of God Who knowing his hyprocrisy continued to plague him in a terrible manner He had an intollerable pain and torment in his bowels and inward paits from whence issued abundance of Worms
continually crawling out so that he rotted above ground with such an intollerable stink that none could come near him neither could himself indure it And thus this vile Person who had insolently boasted he would make Jerusalem a common Burying place and the streets thereof run with the Bloud of Gods People by his just Judgment ended his life in extream misery Before his death he made Philip his Cheif Captain Governor of his Kingdom requiring him to be very careful of his Son Antiochus Then was Antiochus proclaimed King and Sirnamed Eupator About which time the Apostate Jews in garrison at Jerusalem did much mischief slaying those unawares who came to Worship and offer Sacrifices in the Temple Judas hereupon resolved to cut them off and accordingly besieged the Fort with his Army when some of the beseiged escaping by night went and desired Antiochus not to suffer those to perish who for his Fathers sake had forsaken their God and their Religion who thereupon sent a mighty Army of an hundred thousand foot twenty thousand Horse and thirty two Elephants under Lysias their Captain to relieve them who sate down before Bethsura a strong City but were valiantly resisted by the inhabitants who fallied out and burnt the Engines prepared for battery Whereupon Judas raising his seige before the Castle of Jerusalem marched toward the Enemy who preparing to meet him Antiochus then present caused his Elephants to march first through the narrow passage where Judas was incamped each Elephant having a thousand Foot and an hundred Horse for his guard with a Tower on his back furniâ—â—â— with Archers The rest of his Forces were ordereâ—â—â— march by the Mountains and with great shouts to aâ—â—â—l their Enemies and by uncovering their brazen and golden Bucklers to dazel the eyes of the Jews Yet was Judas no way disturbed but incouraging his Army slew six hundred of the Forlorn Hope Eleazer the Brother of Judas seeing a huge Elephant with Royal trappings and judging the King was on him having with a noble courage slain those about him thrust his Sword into the belly of the Beast who suddenly falling slew him with his weight Judas observing the great strength of the Enemy matcht back to Jerusâ—lem Antiochus following him and taking Bethsura by Treaty for want of provisions and dispairing of relief they having the Kings Oath that no violence should be offered them yet he thrust them out of the City and put a Garrison therein He lay long before the Temple of Jerusalem the besieged defending it gallantly only they wanted Victuals the Land not having been tilled for seven years before whereupon divers secretly fled and few remain'd to defend the Temple when by Gods providence Antiochus had news that Philip his Fathers Governor was coming out of Persia to make himself Lord of his Countrey Whereupon Antiochus sent an Herald to Judas promising the Jews peace and the liberty of their Religion Which Judas accepting and taking the Kings Oath for the true performance thereof he surrendred up the Temple to Antiochus who entring the same and finding it so impregnable a place he contrary to his Oath commanded the Wall that incompassed it to be levell'd and so returned to Antioch with Onias the High Priest whom by the counsel of Lysias be put to death because he had advised his Father to inforce the Jews to forsake their Religion A just reward for so wicked a Fact. Philip having Conquered much of his Countrey Antiochus marcht against him fought with him and slew him Soon after Demetrius Son of Seleucus took Tripolis in Syria and declaring himself King invaded the Kingdom of Antiochus to whom the people generally submitting seized on Antiochus and Lysias and bringing them to Demetrius he caused them to be slain To this new King divers Jews banished for their impiety together with Alcimus the High Priest resorted accusing Judas Maccabeus his brethren and the rest of the Nation for killing their Friends and banishing such as were for Demetrius Who much moved with these reports sent a great Army under Bacchides a Valiant and Experienced General to destroy Judas and his Confederates He marching into Judea sent to Judas pretending to make peace with him who observing him to have such strong Forces would not trust to his false promises though some of the people did having his Oath for their protection but paid dear for their credulity for he slew threescore of them at one time Then going from Jerusalem he seized and put to death many Jews commanding the rest to obey Aleimus the High-Priest who by his feigned and familiar deportment drew many wicked Jews to join with him and then marched through the Countrey slaying all who were for Judas who seeing many upright men thus causlesly killed he with his Army went through the Land and flew all the Apostates that were of Alcimus his Faction He thereupon going to Demetrius made grievous complaints against Judas and shewing how dangerous it would be to the State if he went thus on Demetrius thereupon sent an Army against Judas under Nicanor commanding him not to spare any one of the Nation of the Jews Nicanor coming to Jerusalem offered no act of hostility but endeavouring to intrap Judas by subtilty sent him a peaceable Message protesting he deâ—gned no injury but came only to express the good affections of Demetrius to the Jewish Nation Judas and his Brethren deceived with these fair pretences entertained him and his Army and Nicanor saluting Judas whilst they were in discourse he gave a sign to his Souldiers to seize him but Judas discovering the Treason escaped from him and got to his Army Upon which Nicanor proclaimed open War against him and fought him near Caper-Salama where â—e obtained the Victory and constrained Judas to reâ—etreat into the Fortress of Jerusalem where Nicanor â—esieged him a while and then retired At which time certain of the Priests and Elders met him and having given him reverence they showed him the Sacrifices they intended to offer to God for the Kings prosperity But Demetrius blaspheming threatned them if they did not deliver Judas into his hands at his return he would destroy the Temple Hereupon the Priests wept abundantly beseeching God to defend the Temple and his True Worshipers from the outrage of their Enemies Nicanor coming near Bethhoron received a great supply of Souldiers out of Syria Judas likewise was not far off with about a thousand men yet exhorting his Souldiers to trust in God and not fear the multitude of their Enemies he couragiously encountred Nicanor where the Conflict was doubtful yet at last Judas had the advantage killing a great number of his Enemies Nicanor himself fighting valiantly was slain whereupon his Army fled and Judas speedily pursuing made a great slaughter and by sounding a Trumpet giving notice to the Neighbouring places the Inhabitants armed themselves and killed those that fled so that not one escaped from this Battle though they were at least Nine thousand men
After this the Jews had some rest But Alcimus the High Priest intending to beat down the old Wall of the Sanctuary was suddenly strucken by God became speechless and fell to the ground and having suffered grievous torments many days he died miserably Whereupon the People by general consent chose Judas Maccabeus High Priest who hearing of the great power and Victorys of the Romans sent two Persons to Rome to make them his Allies and Confederates and to write to Demetrius to give over his Wars against the Jews These Ambassadors coming to Rome were entertained by the Senate and an Alliance was concluded upon these conditions That none under the Romans should War against the Jews nor furnish their Enemies with Victuals Ships nor Silver That if any made War on the Romans the Jews should assist them That the Jews should neither add nor diminiâ—â— from this Association without the general consent of 〈◊〉 Romans and that what was thus concluded should contitâ— forever The death of Nicanor and the loss of his Army being reported to Demetrius he sent another undeâ— Bacchides who coming into Judea and hearing thaâ— Judas was incamped at Bethzeth he marched againâ—â— him with twenty thousand Foot and two thousanâ— Horse Judas had not in all above two thousand meâ—â— who seeing the vast number of their Foes were mucâ— afraid so that many forsaking the Camp fled away anâ— there remained with Judas only eight hundred meâ— and his Enemies pressed so hard on him that he lâ—â— no time to re-assemble his Forces yet he resolved 〈◊〉 fight with that small handful exhorting them to behavâ— themselves valiantly Who answering That they we not able to make head against so great an Army adviseâ— him to retire and stand on his guard till he had reâ—â— inforced himself Judas replied God forbid that the 〈◊〉 should see me turn my back upon mine Enemies though die and spend my last Bloud in this Battel yet will I neveâ— blemish my former Worthy actions by an ignominious flight And having again encouraged his Souldiers he commanded them to use their utmost courage againâ— the Enemy without any apprehension of danger Bacchides marshalled his Army in Battalia and caâ—â—sing the Trumpets to sound and his Souldiers to make 〈◊〉 great Shout he charged his enemies Judas did the like and encountred Bacchides upon which there ensued a most bloudy Fight which continued till Sun-set Judaâ—â— perceiving that Bacchides and the flower of his Army fought in the right wing drew his most resolute Souldierâ— thither who brake in upon them and forcing them to fly pursued them to Mount Aza But the left wing followed Judas and inclosed him on the back part so that finding himself in much danger he with his Followers resolved to sell their lives dearly and fight it out to the last He slew a great number of his Enemies â—ill at length he was so wearied with killing that he â—ell to the ground and was there slain upon which his â—ew remaining companions betook themselves to flight Simeon and Jonathan his Brothers recovered his Body and buried it at Modin all the people weeping and making great lamentation for the death of so valiant 〈◊〉 Commander for whatsoever Virtue hath of great whatsoever valour hath of generous met in the person of Judas Maccabeus to make a Marvel of his life and give â—mmortal memory to his Name In the space of six years be sustained the great and prodigious Forces of three Kings of Asia as you have heard opposing himself with a little flying Camp against Armies of forty sixty an hundred thousand men which he put into disorder and confusion He defeated nine Generals of the Infidels in ranged battles and combates killing some with his own hands and carrying away their Spoils so that of all his great Qualities Valour always held the upper rank and worthily entitled him to the name of a Worthy The History of Arthur King of Brittain The Seventh Worthy of the World. Arthur the Great and Worthy Brittish King Glory and Victory to his Realm did bring He th' Heathen Saxons often overcame Inducing them to own the Christian Name He while he lived upheld the Sinking State And Conquest seem'd upon him still to wait His Subjects Love he thereby doth attain And he must chuse one after him to Reign The Pictish King this Choice doth much resent As if to wrong him of his Rights they meant Both Kings ingage in Fight where both Kings dy'd With Thousands of their Subjects on each side THe Brittish Writers have related such Strange and Miraculous Actions and Adventures of this Worâ—hy Prince that many Intelligent Men have been apt to think that all which hath been written of his Heroicks deeds is meer Fiction and Invention yea some are of opinion that there never was any such Person but though Historians disagree about times and places some writing carelesly and others superstitiously yet they all agree upon the Predecessors and Successors of this Noble King but as it is most execrable Infidelity to doubt that there was a Joshua Wicked Atheism to question if there were a David and unreasonable to deny the being of Judas Maccabcus As it may be judged folly to affirm there was never any Alexander Julius Caesar Godfrey of Bullen or Charlemagne so we may be thought guilty of incredulity and ingratitude to deny or doubt the honourable Acts of our Victorious Arthur This is premised in vindication of our Hero and his immortal name and fame whereby he justly gained the Title of the Seventh Worthy of the World. Now to his History After this Kingdom had for above four hundred and eighty years been subject to the Romans which began by the Conquest that Julius Caesar made here in the Reign of Cassibelan King of the Brittains seventeen years before the birth of our Blessed Saviour and ended in the time of the Emperor Gratianus three hundred seventy six years after Christ Vortigern of the bloud Royal of the Brittish Kings by usurpation and the Murther of Constance the Son of Constantius seized upon the Crown who growing odious and hateful to his Subjects both for his wicked life and ill got Soveraignty he was forced to send to Germany for the Saxons to aid and support him The Saxons at this time possest the third part of Germany holding all the Countreys between the River Rhine and Elbe bounded on the North by the Baltick Sea and the Ocean and governed by twelve Princes who elected a Soveraign Leader and General in time of War This being so sparious populous and near a Countrey well furnisht with Shipping which the Brittains wanted yielded always plentiful supplies to the undertakers of this action who were first Two brothers Hengist and Horsa After they had continued here a while as hired Souldiers and observed the weakness both of Prince and People their number dayly increased At first they had only the Isle of Thanet allowed them to inhabit but soon after the whole County of Kent
Godfreys Squadron made a most woful destruction among them and their lamentable cries at length obliged the Governor to open the Gates and receive the small remainder into Antioch One of the Principal Turks of a Stature much exceeding others transported with fury to observe that Godfrey killed all who came within the reach of his terrible Sword he ran up to him foaming with rage and with his broad-Sword discharged so terrible a blow on the Duke that he split his Shield in two pieces which he had opposed to secure his head when Godfrey raising himself upon his Stirrups gave him such a furious stroke that his Sword falling on his right Shoulder passed quite through his Breast to his left side and made that half of his body tumble to the ground while the other remaining in the Saddle was carried by the Horse quite through the Town making such a fearful spectacle as struck Consternation and Horror in all the beholders Night coming on the Defendants throwing whole showers of Arrows from the Walls hindred the further pursuit of the Victory The Christians lost above a thousand men but it is almost impossible to count the loss of the Turks which was so great that they partly stopped the River with their dead Bodies After this great Victory the Besieged were more closely blocked up and some time after Antioch was surprized by Stratagem by the Christian Princes which was followed by another great Victory wherein the Enemy lost an hundred thousand Horse and an incredible number of Foot. And then the Princes assembled to consult concerning the principal Enterprize which was that of Jerusalem during which Godfrey or Geoffry de la Tour going out upon a party as he frequently did he heard the terrible roaring of a Lion who seemed rather to cry out for some dreadful mishap befallen him than in sollowing the Prey to devour it and without a moments deliberation he broke away from those that would have held him toward the next Wood and ran directly to the noise where he saw a horrible Serpent of prodigious magnitude who having wound himself about the Legs of a Lion had prevented him from defending himself and darted many blows at him with his Tongue to kill him with his Poyson who thereupon struck the Serpent such a blow with his Sword that he killed him without hurting the Lion and after that cut the wreaths of the Serpent wherewith he was intangled when the poor Lion saw himself at liberty he came in the most expressive manner and with the greatest submission to render thanks to his deliverer couching down and licking his Feet and afterward would never forsake him but sollowed him like a faithful Dog without offending any but his Enemies upon whom by a sign given he would be sure to fall and was always with him in the Combat and Chase and never failed to provide Venison for his Master a marvellous instance of natural gratitude and a reproach to Mankind who oft prove ingrateful to their Benefactors though indued with all the force of reason The Christians now marching with all speed toward Jerusalem took Rama in their way and then marching to Emaus about two Leagues and an half from Jerusalem they from thence had a fair prospect of the lofty Towers of the Holy City which filled the hearts of the Princes Officers Souldiers and the whole Troop of Pilgrims with great Joy and then coming up to it that they might avoyd a tedious seige like that of Antioch it was resolved to attack the place by main force though those within were more numerous than the Christian Army who were not above Twenty Thousand Foot and fifteen Hundred Horse the rest of that vast number of three Hundred Thousand men who came into Asia being either dead with diseases or slain in the several encounters the Christians therefore coming up close to the Walls raised up their scaling Ladders and mounted to the top from whence with mad courage they threw themselves into the Town where they desperately fought hand to hand with the Saracens who were amazed at this more than heroick boldness and no doubt if they had had more Ladders Jerusalem had been that day taken but since one Ladder could mount a very few men a Retreat was sounded after having lost a great many brave Souldiers in that rash attempt who yet sold their Lives so dear that twice as many of the Saracens fell with them Duke Godfrey concerned at this miscarriage resolved for the future to assault the Town with proper Engines of War which he managed with such extraordinary success that making a great breach in the Walls he threw himself into the Town with such admirable courage that the other Princes following him they in short time all entred and took full possession putting all the Insidels to the Sword and killing the very Children in the Arms of their Mothers thereby if it were possible to extinguish the whole race of Turks In short a most terrible vengeance was taken upon them and the Houses being plundred the whole Army found themselves inriched beyond imagination The richest Booty was found in the Temple of Solomon from whence was taken an inestimable Treasure of Gold Silver and Jewels which the Princes generously presented Duke Godfrey as the Person to whose only courage and conduct it was due Eight days after this happy conquest the Princes and Lords assembled to re-establish the ancient Government of Jerusalem by giving it a King Divers were proposed and it was offered to Robert Duke of Normandy Son to William the Conqueror but he designing to return home as soon as possible declined it telling the Assembly That it was most evident they ought to chuse that Person whose Piety Modesty Frudence Justice Valour and Success had appeared in many occasions That Person whose strength of Age Body Nobility Greatness and Majesty worthy of an Empire conspired to rank him among the greatest Princes that ever were and My Lords sayd he all these extraordinary qualities render themselves so conspicuous in the Person who possesses them that it may seem unnecessary to name him and God himself seems to have nominated him in giving him these surpassing advantages above the rest of mankind whom he hath chosen like a second David to be King of Jerusalem It is the Illustrious Godfrey of Bullen Duke of Lorrain whom the Prince had no sooner named but the whole Assembly interrupted him crying out with the same mind and voice Godfrey Godfrey long live Godfrey the most puissant and pious King of Jerusalem And notwithstanding all the resistance of that modest Prince he was obliged to consent to the Election which seemed confirmed to him by Divine approbation And the very same day he was conducted to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and there proclaimed King amidst the acclamations of the whole Army and all the Christians of the Countrey who came flocking in to inhabit the City of Jerusalem He was there presented with a
who hearing that Constantine was proclaimed Prince was much disturbed and sent Ambassadors to Arthur to complain that contrary to the honour of a King he by proclaiming Constantine his Heir had broken the League between himself and his Father and endeavoured to defeat him of his rightful Inheritance desiring him not so easily to consent to the perswasions of the Brittains as thereby to violate the Laws both of God and man and admonishing him yet to observe the League which he had solemnly sworn to and to perswade his Subjects to do the like lest they should provoke the wrath of Almighty God against them who is a just revenger of the breach of all Oaths Leagues and Covenants To this the Nobles of Brittain answered That the League concluded between Arthur and Loth endered but for their Lives and was determined upon the death of either of them and therefore Arthur had done nothing but according to the duty of a Prince who tendred the peace and happiness of his Subjects in providing one of their own Nation to succeed him thereby to prevent the Realm from falling into the hands of strangers which they could by no means suffer Therefore if the Picts loved their Weal Security it would be good for them to be contented with their own Bounds and Dominions since if they should attempt to gain other mens Estates and Territories they would be forced in a short time to see the mischievous Consequences of such ill advised undertakings The Ambassadors of Pictland returning with this Answer the whole Nation were so stirr'd with indignation that they resolved immediately to revenge their wrongs by open War But first they endeavoured to procure the Scots to assist them and sending Ambassadors to Eugenius then King of Scotland he readily agreed to their requests upon pretence that some Scotch Rebels who fled to Arthur were received by him and likewise suffered to make In roads into Scotland Arthur having notice of these Transactions and War being Proclaimed against him he first secured the Sea coasts with consâ—derable forces to prevent the Landing of the Saxons if they should attempt it And then marched with the rest of his Army as far as the River Humber near the Banks whereof he pitcht his Tents a place formerly fatal for the overthrow of the Brittains expecting the Scots and Picts who in a short time came up to them and both Armies were in sight ready to ingage each other when certain Bishops of all the three Nations riding to and fro took great pains to perswade the Kings to Peace and Concord especially since what they were going to try with the Sword and the loss of much Bloud and many Lives might as well be composed by an Amicable and Friendly Agreement Neither could they better gratifie the Saxons the common Enemies to the Christian Religion than by weakning and destroying each other to make way for them to Conquer all together Mordred and Eugenius were induced by these carnest exhortations to refer the differences to some indifferent Persons and presently to lay down their arms upon assurance that the League with King Loth should be faithfully observed Arthur was also content for his part to have agreed thereto but the other Brittains especially the Kindred and Allies of Constantine utterly refused it and gave divers reproachful words to the Bishops for their unseasonable interposing since they were already ranged in battel so that it might be doubted they designed to betray their Army to their Enemies under pretence of an unprofitable agreement After this both Parties ingaged with great fury but the Brittains had such disadvantage by the place where they stood which was full of Mire Bogs and Mosses that they could neither advantagiously defend themselves nor offend their Enemies yet the Battel continued a long time with the slaughter of so many men that the river Humbâ—r near which it was fought grew red with bloud and carried a multitude of dead bodies into the Sea. In the heat of the sight a subtil Scot cryed out with a loud voice in the Brittish tongue that Arthur and most of his Nobility were slain and it was therefore in vain to resist any longer or hope for Victory but better for every man to shift for himself and endeavour to make his escape This news wonderfully incouraged the Scots and Picts but the Brittains were so much astonished at it that the greatest partinstantâ— fled away Others judging it only a crafty device to discourage them continued to make the utmost resistance till they were overpowred and almost every man slain This Victory was veryhardly got and cost more lives than any other for many years before for of the Scots and Picts who won the Feild there were killed above Twenty Thousand together with King Mordred and abundance of the Nobility of both Nations Of the Brittains and their confederates in the fight and pursuit above thirty thousand fell and among them King Arthur himself and Gawan brother to Mordred who had such an intire affection for his Lord and Master Arthur that he fought couragiously on his side that day against his own brother Mordred Gawan and most part of the Brittish Nobility were likewise slain Next day the Camp was plundred and among other rich spoyls Guyniver King Arthurs Wife with a great number of other Ladys and Gentlewomen were taken Prisoners though she and some others were afterward redeemed upon ransom This Bloudy Battel was fought in the year of our Lord 542. the 26 year of the reign of King Arthur and so much weakned both the Picts Scots and Brittains that they could not recover their losses in man years The same year many strange Prodigies were seen The Grass and Herbs in Yorkshire were stained with Bloud Near Camelon a Cow brought forth a Calf with two heads and an Ewe brought forth a Lamb of both Sexes The Sun for several days appeared like Bloud The Sky was full of bright Stars at noon divers days together In Wales there was a Battel between the Crows and Magpies on one side and the Ravens on the other and great slaughter was made on each side The Body of this famous Worthy was buried at Glassenbury in Somersetshire in the Church yard and discovered in the reign of King Henry the second who being informed by a Welch Ministrel that could sing many Historys in Welch of the Acts of the ancient Brittains declared that Arthurs Body was there buried Sixteen foot deep between two Pillars lest his Enemies the Saxons should have found him Henry caused the place to be dug up After they had digged about seven Foot they found a mighty broad Stone with a leaden Cross fastened to that part which lay downward with this Inscription Hic jacet Sepultus inclytus Rex Arthurus in Insulae Avaloniae Here lieth the renowned King Arthur in the Isle of Avalonia His Body was inclosed in a great Tree made hollow whith being opened his Bones appeared of a very great bigness his
also kill'd in the pursuit and all the Kings slain very few of this numerous Army making their escape Joshua having command-their Horses to be slain and their Chariots to be burnt he afterward marched victoriously through the whole Countrey besieging and taking many strong places and killing all that fell into his hands so that in five years none of the Canaanites were left alive but only in two or three strong Fortresses Then Joshua removed his Camp to Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle there and from thence he marched to Sichem and there built an Altar according to the command of Moses and being now well stricken in years he assembled all the People in Shiloh where he represented to them the happy success wherewith till that time God had favoured them because they had observed his Laws that no less than one and thirty Kings who had presumed to oppose them were by them overcome and all their Armies discomfited in Battel and most of their Cities destroyed so that there was no memory of them remaining he therefore thought fit they should send to survey the extent of Canaan and to measure it out among the Tribes which being approved of by the Congregation ten men were appointed to view the Land who returning with a full account of it in fix months time Joshua with the High-Priests and Princes of the Tribes divided the Countrey amongst them and then he distributed the prey they had taken from the Enemy which was very great so that they were all inriched by it After which he assembled the whole Army and to those that were planted on the other side Jordan who had born Arms with the rest and were in number no less than Fifty Thousand he spake after this manner Since God the Father and Master of our Nation hath given this Countrey into your possession and hath promised to preserve the same to your for ever and since ye have cheerfully assisted us in all our necessities and dangers according to Gods command and direction it is requisite now we have no further service for you that we dismiss you home to enjoy what you purchased and may thereby be in a capacity to ingage with us hereafter upon all occasions We therefore give you hearty thanks that you have vouchsafed to be our companions in all our perils and desire you would always continue this mutual affection between us remembring that by Gods favour and our assisting each other we have attained to this our present Felicity Neither have you adventured without some reward for your labours for you are hereby inriched and shall carry home much Cattle with Silver Gold Brass Iron and very much Raiment and likewise our sineere love to you whenever you have occasion to use us For we have noâ— forgot nor slighted Moses command before his death neither have you spared any pains to oblige us to you We therefore dismiss you to your own possessions in fulness of Contentment beseeching you never to put any bounds to our inviolable Amity and Friendship and let not the River Jordan which is betwixt us hinder you from considering us as Hebrews for we are all the posterity of Abraham and the same God gave Life to both our progenitors whose Laws and Religion instituted by Moses are diligently to be observed for thereby will the Lord become our helper but if we degenerate from his Statutes he will surely be our Enemy Having spoke thus Joshua imbraced the Chief of the Tribes who returned and their whole peoplewith them After the Tribe of Reuben and Gad and the rest of the Menassites had passed over Jordan they built an Altar upon the Bank of the River as a Memorial to Posterity of their Alliance with those on the other side which when the Israelites beyond Jordan heard they rashly imagined their Brethren designed to violate their Religion and introduce the Worship of false Gods and therefore instantly Armed themselves to be revenged on them as having forsaken the Laws and Ordinances of their Fore-Fathers But Joshua and Eleazer the High-Priest and the Elders restrained them advising first to inquire what their intention was and accordingly to proceed against them Whereupon they sent Phinehas the Son of Eleazer and ten of the Princes as Ambassadors to them who when they were arrived an Assembly was summoned and Phinehas standing up in the midst of them spake to this purpose You have committed too heinous an offence to be punished with words and yet we would not suddenly take up Arms against you though the crime you have committed is very heinous but rather chuse first to admonish you To which purpose we are sent to you as Ambassaders hoping that in confideration of the Friendship between us you will be perswaded to acknowledge and detest your fault We therefore require you to inform us of the cause why you have built an Altar that if it be with an ill design you may not think you are hardly dealt with if we take revenge upon you for the same but if it be otherwise we may be satisfied upon what account it is erected For we can scarce believe that you who are so well grounded in the knowledg of God and the Laws which he himself hath given you should since your departure from us and arrival in your own Patrimony which you have obtained by his favour and peaceably enjoy by his Providence So forget him as to forsake his Tabernacle Ark and Altar and introducestrange Gods and thereby be Partakers of the impieties of the Canaanites Yet if you repent your folly and return to your Ancient Religion a pardon is granted you but if you obstinately persist in your wickedness we will venture all in defence of our Faith and Gods true Religion and will treat you like the Inhabitants of Canaan For though you have past the River you are not exempt from Gods power who is in all places and can at all times avenge himself upon you for your Iniquities Resolve therefore with your selves to renounce your Error and consider whether it be not better for you to enjoy Peace and Safety than to expose your selves your Wives and Children to the danger of a bloudy War. Phinchas ending hiâ— Oration the Chief of the Assembly made this reply We never the â—ight of breaking the Vnion which joins us so near together or of innevating any thing in the Religion of our Fathers we will always persevere therein We know that there is one God the common Father of all the Hebrews and none but the Brazen Altar which is before the Tabernacle shall receive our Sacrifices As for that which we have 〈◊〉 erected and causeth suchjealousie in you we did not build it with the least intent to Offer Sacrifice thereon but only as a perpetual 〈◊〉 of our Alliance and â—f our Obligation to conâ—inue firm in the same belief but without the least intent of making alteration in our Religion To the truth whereof we call Almighty God to witness therefore
own Quarter and unable to endure this insolence of a Barbarian with a well placed Arrow shot him through the very Heart and tumbled him dead into the Ditch Thus the bravest man of the Turks seem'd to stay to receive an honourable death from the hand of the gallantest of the Christians Soon after Solyman having made another fruitless attempt to relieve them the Besieged delivered up the City by Treaty to the Christians The Princes not to lose the season of the year marched immediately from thence toward Syria and for convenience of Forrage they separated into two Bodies that part under the Earl of Flanders and the Duke Normandy taking the left and Godfrey the right hand but yet without distancing the Armies above two miles asunder The Duke of Normandy had not marched far when they had notice that Solyman with three hundred and sixty thousand Turks and Persians all Horse with an infinite number of Arabians intended to surprize and surround the Christians the next morning Who instantly sent to advertise Duke Godfrey of their danger who again joining the Army the Princes incouraged their Souldiers telling them That they were the same Enemies they had oft before vanquished at Nice and that in sighting valiantly against those wicked Insidels if they died they might be certain of eternal happiness And then drawing their Swords they cryed out It is the will of God which words the whole Army repeated with such a terrible Harmony the Vallies Rocks and Mountains shook with the dreadful Eccho and thereupon presently engaging by the Conduct of Godfrey and Reymond who ran full speed upon the Turks with their European Lances which they had neither Shields nor Breast-plates to oppose they were overthrown horse and man and the Arabs not enduring a charge hand to hand fearing to be surrounded began to betake themselves to slight which caused such fear and disorder in the whole Army that it put them in a moment to general rout and the Christians obtained a compleat Victory with a Prodigious quantity of booty and plunder which they found in the Turkish Camp and then marching forward toward Syria they arrived about Antioch in Pisidia which surrendred to them without ressistance as did most of the other Cities in their passage Whilst the Army refresht themselves in Pisidia after such Toyls and hardships Prince Godfrey had like to have been lost by a strange accident which however redounded in conclusion much to the honour of this Prince advancing his Reputation Courage and Nobleness which appeared even to admiration upon this dangerous occasion For one day entring alone on Horseback into a Wood he heard the voice of a man who cryed out for help with all his power and advancing to the place from whence the noise came he perceived it was a poor Souldier who coming to cut Wood was running almost quite cut of breath round a great Tree to save himself from the merciless Jaws of a monstrous and furious Bear which was just ready to seize upon him Godfrey transported with Courage and Charity spurred on his Horse with his sword in his hand toward the cruel Beast who forsaking the Souldier with inflamed eyes gaping Jaws and the terrible Claws of her two fore Paws advanced toward him and raising her self upon her hinder feet to throw her self upon the Horse she was affrighted with the Sword and to avoyd the blow fell sideling but so that Horse and man fell over her and she catchâ— hold of the Dukes Coat to draw him toward her but Godfrey nimbly recovering his fall and seizing on her left paw which she thrust out to lay hold of him he ran his Sword up to the hilt in the belly of this monstrous enemy when one of his Gentlemen coming in at the noise dispatcht the Beast already overthrown with the terrible blow she had received But Godfrey in drawing his Sword from between his legs after his fall having given himself a cruel wound in his Thigh which during the heat of the combate he did not perceive he had lost so much bloud that after he began to cool he suddenly sunk down in a Swoon This accident though it proved not dangerous spread a mighty Consternation through the whole Army as if all had been lost so much confidence and authority they placed in his Valor and Judgment especially since the last battle where he gained the Christians a glorious Victory out of the hands of the Insidels who were just ready to ruine them The Christians having conquered Cilicia and great part of Armenia they next besieged the City of Antioch and having lain some time before it two Fleets from Genoa and Pisa arrived very fortunately at the Port of St. Simeon with all sorts of Provisions which were very welcom after a five months Seige the news whereof no sooner arrived at the Camp but the Souldiers ran thither in Shoals to furnish themselves with what they wanted The Turks who continually watched for all advantages laid an Ambuscade of four thousand men that secretly sallied out of the Town who meeting with the Souldiers in their return without Order or Arms but only their Swords and loaden with Provisions they fell upon them and obliged them to fly to the Mountains leaving all their Provisions and a thousand of their Companions dead upon the place Godfrey soon advertized of this disaster took a strong Party resolving immediately to charge the Tarks whom he doubted not to find in sufficient disorder upon Joy of their Victory The Governor of Antich having from one of the Towers of his Castle observed this motion of the Christians was in much pain for the safe return of his men and therefore commanded the greatest part of his Army to sally out of the City for their relief Godfrey marched on slowly having notice that the Conquerors having joined the Troops of the Town drew near loaden with their booty then drawing his Sword and turning to his men after he had lookt fiercely toward the Enemy he cryed Follow me it is the will of Godâ— Ordering them only to use their Swords without either Lances or Arrows so that with their Swords drawn and their Bucklers they made a kind of Penthouse against the Arrows of the Turks who being thereby put out of their usual way of fighting the Service of their Bows being taken from them they presently recoiled upon their assistants and being incumbred with Spoils the Christians fell into the midst of them and on all hands made a most horrible slaughter of these miserable wretches so that they were totally routed some flying to the mountains others toward the City not dreaming that the Gate was shut against them Godfrey to prevent their return into the Town flew like lightning among his enemies there was no blow of his terrible Sword which drew not a dreadful death with it so that he filled all with Horror Lloud and Terror which way soever he turned himself and the other Princes finding the Enemies stopt by