times I haue receiued at his hands For whilest I fed my fathers flocks I redeemed a lambe that was rauished out of my fold out of the lions iawes and catching the wild beast by the taile that with open mouth assaulted and sought to deuouâ—… me I bet him to the ground and slue him Neither with lesse successe inuaded I a beare that set vpon my flocke and as light doe I set by this monster also who vomiting out his slaunderous raylings both against God and men shall neither escape the diuine arme of iustice which he so wickedly prouoketh neither flie from my hands who am prepared to â—…counter him So much preuailed this forward readinesse in the yoong man that the king beseeching Gods assistance to second his courage furnished him with a royall armour a sword and a helmet and sent him forth to the battell But Dauid feeling the waight of his armour and seeming rather to be loaded then defenced with the same said vnto him Let these armes O king serue to inclose and defence thy body who art able to beare them and suffer me I beseech thee who am thy seruant to fight according to mine owne fantasie He therefore laid-by his armour tooke a staffe in his hand and fiue stones which he gathered on the bankes of the torrent which he put in his scrip his sling he bore in his right hand and being thus armed he marched forward to encounter his enemy Now when the Barbarian saw him thus furnished he so much contemned him that in way of scorne he asked him whether he thought him to be a dogge that he thus came foorth to fight with him with weapons fit to scarre dogges Nay said Dauid I esteeme thee worser then a dogge which so much peruerted Goliahs patience that he cursed the name of his God thundring out threats that he would cast out his carkasse to be deuoured by the beasts of the field and the birds of the ayre But Dauid answered Thou commest against me with thy sword thy iauelin and curets but contrariwise I march out against thee vnder the warrantise and protection of God who shall destroy thee by my hand and with thee thy whole army for this day will I take thy head from thy shoulders and cast the rest of thy body to the dogs whom thou resemblest and all men shall know that God is the Prince of the Hebrewes and that our armes and forces are the cares that it pleaseth him to haue of vs and that all other furniture of warre is vnprofitable except it be assisted by God The waight of the Philistines armes hindred him from marching readily so that he marched foote by foote towards Dauid contemning him and trusting that he should kill him easily both for that he was disarmed as also because he was yoong and tender in yeates CHAP. XI The single combate betwixt Dauid and Goliah and the slaughter of the Palestines that followed after DAuid set forward to make head against his enemy being assisted by a companion whom he saw not which was God drawing therefore one of the stones which he had gathered on the bankes of the torrent out of his scrip and hauing fitted it in his sling he forced it against Goliah and gaue him such a stroke on the forehead that he pierced him to the verie braine so that Goliah fell downe sodainly dead and he running vpon him as he lay sprawling on the earth cut off his head with his owne sword for he himselfe â—…ad none As soone as he was stroken downe discomfiture and flight seazed all the army of the Philistines for seeing the most esteemed warriour amongst them ouerthrowne and slaine they began to suspect the generall issue of their warre and resolued to retire from thence so tooke they their flight in disorder and confusion supposing by that meanes to deliuer themselues out of dangers But Saul and the whole army of the Hebrewes sallied out against them with great shoutes and cries and in the pursuit made a great slaughter of them and droue them to the borders of Geth and the gates of Ascalon In this battell there died on the Philistines side aboue thirtie thousand and the rest that were hurt and wounded were twise as many Saul returning backe into his campe pillaged and burnt their tents but Dauid bore Goliahs head into his pauillion and hung his sword in the tabernacle and consecrated the same vnto God But Saul afterward conceiued a priuie hatred against Dauid vpon this occasion which ensueth For whereas he returned triumphant like a conquerour with the army and the women and maidens singing and dauncing to their cymbals and timbrels in way of honour came out to meete him The women sung that Saul had slaine diuers thousands of the Philistines and the virgins answered that Dauid had slain diuers ten thousands Which when Saul vnderstood and saw that the lesser testimony of thousands was referred to him and that the ten thousands were attributed to Dauid he supposed that after so glorious a renowm there wanted nothing for Dauid except to be king For which cause he began to feare and suspect him so that by reason of the feare he had of him he thought that he was too neere his owne person and therefore from being one of the chiefest in authoritie about him which was to bee one of his chiefest commaunders and guard he made him captaine ouer a thousand rather respecting his owne securitie then the others honor to the intent that being often charged by incursions of the enemy hee might by some desaster be depriued of his life But Dauid hauing in all places the assistance of almightie God returned alwaies with good successe and happy issue so that for the excellencie of his valour the people intirely loued him And Sauls daughter also that was about that time mariageable began to be enamoured with him and so great and apparant was her affection towards Dauid as the certaine notice thereof came vnto her fathers eares who was sore displeased therewith yet hoping by that meanes the sooner to entrap him hee gaue eare thereto with some shew of allowance and told them who discouered their loues vnto him that he would willingly giue him his daughter to wife vnder pretence that the enioying of her might be the meanes of his vtter ouerthrow For said he I am content to giue him my daughter in mariage vnder that condition that hee bring me six hundreth enemies heads and he desirous to gette so high and famous a reward and in like sort to obtaine honour by an act both so dangerous and admirable will vndertake the execution thereof and shall be slaine by the hands of the Philistines and that intention which I haue conceiued against him shall succeede according to mine owne hearts desire for I shall be deliuered of him in sending him out of the world not by my meanes but other mens hands Further he charged his
and to that intent he sent his sonne Adoram vnto him to testifie and expresse what contentment he had receiued for that he had defeated Adarezer his enemy and to contract with him amitie and confederation He seht him presents also namely vessels of antique worke of gold of siluer and of brasse whereupon Dauid made a league with Thani for so was the king of Amath called and receiued the presents that were sent vnto him and afterwards dismissed his sonne with conuenient honor both for the one and the other and consecrated that to God which he had sent him togither with the gold and siluer which he had taken from other cities and nations that were subiect vnto him For God did not only so farre fauour him as to make him victorious and happy in his owne wars but hauing also sent Abisai Ioabs brother the lieutenant of his army against the Idumeans he likewise granted him victorie for Abisai slew in the battell about eighteene thousand of them and filled all Idumaea with garrisons challenging a tribute throughout the countrey by the pole This king loued iustice of his own nature and exercised iudgement according to veritie He had for his lieutenant generall in all his armies Ioab and appointed Iosaphat the son of Achilles chiefe ouer the Registers After Abiathar he established Sadoc of the house of Phinees for high priest who was his friend Sisa was his secretarie Banaia the sonne of Ioiada was captaine ouer his guard and all the elders were ordinarily about him to guard and attend him He remembring himselfe also of the conuentions and oathes that were past twixt him and Ionathan the sonne of Saul and of 〈◊〉 â—…itie and affection that had been betweene them for besides all other graces which he had he most freshly retained them in memorie from whom in times past he had receiued any friendship He caused a search to be made if any one of the house and family of Ionathan were left-aliue to the intent he might remunerate the friendship which he had receiued at Ionathans hands Where upon a certaine man was brought vnto him who was enfranchised by Saul that might enforme him what one of his race was aliue who asked him if he could name him any of Ionathans sons then liuing whom he might make partaker of those curteous fauors graces which in times past he had receiued by Ionathan Who answered him that he had one sonne remaining whose name was Mephiboseth who was lame of his legs for that at such time as the newes came that both his father and grandfather were slaine in the battell his nurse fearfully snatching vp the child and flying suffered him vnfortunately to fal from her shoulders and so hurt him When as then he was aduertised where and with whom he was brought vp he sent vnto the citie of Labath to Machir with whom Mephiboseth was kept commanded him to be brought vnto him Now when he came to Dauids presence he cast himselfe prostrate on his face to do him reuerence but the king exhorted him to be of good courage and to hope hereafter for better fortune and gaue him his fathers house with all the possessions that were purchased by Saul his grandfather appointing him to sit and feed with him at his owne table yea to eate of his royall prouision not letting one day slip wherein he accompanied him not at meales The yong man did him reuerence humbly thanking him for the gratious words and roiall offers be had made vnto him At that time Dauid called for Siba and certified him how he had giuen Mephiboseth his fathers house and all Sauls purchases commanding him to manure and husband his possessions and to haue care of all things and to returne the reuenew to Ierusalem for that Mephiboseth was euery day to take his refectioÌ„ at his table charging both him his 15. sons and 20. seruants to doe him seruice After the king had thus disposed of him Siba did him reuerence and after he had protested to performe whatsoeuer he had giuen him in charge he departed and Ionathans sonne remained in Ierusalem where he liued at the kings table and was entertained and tended as carefully as if he had beene his owne sonne he had a sonne also called Micha These were the honors that those children which suruiued after Ionathan and Sauls death receined at Dauids hands About the same time died Naas king of the Ammonites who during his life time was Dauids friend and his sonne succeeded him in his kingdome to whom Dauid sent embassadors to comfort him exhorting him to disgest his fathers death with patience assuring him that he would expresse no lesse loue towards him then he did vnto his father But the gouernours of the Ammonites entertained this embassage verie contumeliously and not according as Dauid had kindly intended it and murmured against their king telling him that they were but spies sent by Dauid to seeke into his forces and discouer the strength of his countrey vnder a pretext of humanitie counselling him to stand vpon his guard and not to giue eare to his protestation least being deceiued he should fall into some remedilesse inconuenient Naas king of the Ammonites supposing that his gouernors spoke nothing but truth outraged the embassadors that were sent vnto him with great iniuries for causing the halfe of their beards to be shauen close by the chin and cutting away the halfe of their vestments he sent them back againe returning their answeres not in words but in deeds Which when Dauid saw he was grieuously displeased and made it knowne that he would not suffer that mockerie and iniurie so easily to be disgested but that he would make warre on the Ammonites and reuenge those indignities that were offered to his embassadors The friends and gouernors of Naas considering how they had violated and broken the peace and how for that occasion they deserued to be punished prepared for the war and sent one thousand talents to Syrus king of Mesopotamia requiring him that he would be their consederate in that warre and receiue their pay they requested the like of Subas these kings had 20000. footmen in camp They hired also with their mony the king of the countrey called Michas and the fourth called Istob which two had with them 12000. thousand souldiers CHAP. VII How Dauid ouercame the Mesopotamians BVt Dauid was no whit amated neither with the confederacie nor force of the Ammonites but trusting in God resolued that the cause of his warre was iust for which cause he continued in reuenge of those outrages which he had receiued by them Hauing therefore mustered vnder Ioab the flower of his whole army he commanded him to depart and make warre vpon them who came and incamped himselfe before their chiefest Citie called Aramath which when the enemies perceiued they issued foorth and arranged themselues in battell not altogether but in two seuerall parts For their confederates and allies were
that they who defaulted therein came not within the prefixed time should be held as excommunicate and their goods confiscate to the publike treasury of the temple by the ordinance of the Priests they of the tribes of Iuda and Beniamin came thither within three daies on the twentith day of the ninth moneth called by the Hebrewes Thebeth by the Macedonians Apellaeus And assoone as they were seated in the vpper part of the temple in the presence and assistance of the Elders although the weather was verie intemperate by reason of the frost Esdras arose and reproued them for that they had transgressed the law in taking wiues vnto them who were not of their nation for which cause he told them that if they would performe a matter that were agreeable vnto God and profitable for themselues they should dismisse such wiues Whereupon with a loud voice they all cried that they would doe it willingly but that there was no small number of them and that the time was winter and the matter of that consequence as one or two daies could not end it For which cause they thought it verie needfull that the execution were deferred for a while and that at the length some of the Princes who were free from that sinne with certaine other chosen Elders of euerie place should make inquisition of them that had married wiues contrarie to the prescript of the law Which being approued by them about the new moone of the tenth moneth this inquisition 〈◊〉 began which continued vntill the new moone of the moneth ensuing and there were many of the family of Iesus the high Priest and of Priests Leuites and Israelites that making more account of the obseruation of the laws then of the natural affections of their wiues and children did presently put away their wiues and those children they had by them and sacrificed certaine Rammes for a peace offering vnto God whose names it were a needlesse matter to reckon vp in this place When Esdras had in this sort reformed the errour committed by such marriages he so corrected the euill custome thereof that this reformation continued firme and irreuocable for euer In the seuenth moneth they solemnized the feasts of Tabernacles whereto when all the people were resorted they all gathered together in an open place of the temple towards the gate that looketh eastward requiring Esdras that he would read Moses ordinances vnto them which he performed and standing vp in the midst of the multitude he red the law vnto them from the morning vntill noone By which reading not onely for the present but for the time to come they learned that which was iust and also calling to memorie that which was past they were so discomforted that the teares fell from their eies in thinking with themselues that if they had kept the law they had not suffered any of those euils by which they had beene tormented But Esdras beholding them in that estate willing each of them to repaire homeward and to weepe no more because that day was a solemne and holy day wherein they ought not to weepe because it was forbidden He rather commaunded them to intend their feasts and pleasures assuring them that the repentance and griefe of those faults that were committed by them in times past ought to serue them and instruct them to assure and defence themselues to the end that hereafter they commit not the like They following Esdras exhortation began to celebrate the solemnitie and continued their feastes in their tabernacles during eight daies After which time they returned euery one vnto his house praising God in hymnes and thanking Esdras for the amendement of those vnlawfull marriages that had hapned in their pollicy who after he had gotten great honour among the people finished his life being loden with yeares and was buried honourably in Ierusalem About the same time also died Ioacim the high Priest whose sonne Eliacim succeeded in his place After this it came to passe that a certaine man that was one of the captiue Iewes king Xerxes butler called Nehemias walking before the Citie of Susa which was the Metropolitane Citie of Persia heard certaine straungers that came from farre who vpon their entrie into the Citie deuised the one with the other in the Hebrew tongue for which cause he drewe neere vnto them and asked them whence they came Who returning him this answere that they came from Iudaea he began to demaund of them againe of the estate of Ierusalem their natiue Citie and how the people fared To whom they answered that they were in verie bad estate and that their Citie walles were conuerted to dust and rased that the nations round about them afflicted the Iewes with many outrages in making inrodes into their countrey and spoyling them daily not sparing them by night so that diuers of them were led away prisoners yea some Citizens of Ierusalem and that daily the high waies were found full of dead bodies Hereupon Nehemias began to weepe thorow the inward compassion he had of his distressed brethren and looking vp towards heauen How long said he O Lord wilt thou see our nation thus afflicted without taking care of vs Behold how we are made a pray vnto all men whilest thus he walked before the gate and lamented bitterly newes was brought him that the King was readie to sit downe to his meat For which cause he gaue attendance according to his office and serued the king dutifully during his time of repast As soone as supper was done the King grew pleasant and ioyfull and casting his eies vpon Nehemias whom he perceiued to be heauie and disconsolate he asked him what he ailed Nehemias after he had besought God to giue him grace and persuasiue speech to discourse vnto the king answered O king how is it possible that I should be other but discomforted and that griefe should not pierce euen vnto the very center of my soule when I heare that the wals of Ierusalem which is my natiue countrey were leuelled with the ground and the sepulchers and monuments of my predecessors are defaced and the gates of the Citie are burned doe me therefore this grace that I may resort thither and repaire the same and finish the rest of the building of the temple This said the King gaue eare to his request and promised him his letters assuring him that he would addresse them to the gouernours commaunding them to doe him honour and to furnish him with all things necessarie to accomplish that which he intended For which cause said he cease thou to be sad and do thy seruice willingly Hereupon Nehemias adored God and thanked the king for the promise he had made him and therfore by the pleasure he conceiued he cleared that confusion and sorrow that before that time he bate in his countenance The next day the King called for him and gaue him letters vnto Sadeas the gouernour of Syria Phaenicia and Samaria in which
nation of the Iewes were ready to innouate and rebell and continued their good affection toward Antigonus in regard of the hatred they conceiued against Herod he concluded with himselfe to take his head from him at Antioch For the Iewes could scarcely containe themselues Strabo of Cappadocia testifieth no lesse in these words Anthony hauing brought Antigonus the Iew to Antioch caused his head to be cut off and was the first among the Romans that hath caused a king to be beheaded in this manner supposing that the Iewes might neuer otherwaies be induced to change their opinions and receiue Herodeâ—… yet this opinion of his was not answerable to equitie For notwithstanding whatsoeuer impulsion he might deuise yet could they not be induced to call him king in so high estimate and account held they their former king But Anthony supposed that that infamie would obscure his renown and lessen the generall hate that they bare to Herode See here what Strabo writeth As soone as the high priest Hircanus who was prisoner among the Parthians heard that Herode had taken possession of the kingdome he returned backe vnto him being deliuered after this manner following Barzapharnes and Pacorus princes of the Parthians had taken Hircanus who was first high priest and afterwards king and with him Phasaelus Herodes brother and led them away prisoners with them into their own countrey Phasaelus not able to endure the dishonour of imprisonment and preferring an honorable death before a reprochful and ignominious life murthered himselfe as I haue heretofore declared CHAP. II. How Hircanus dismissed by the Parthians returned vnto Herode PHraates king of Parthia vnderstanding how nobly Hircanus was descended who was brought prisoner vnto him entertained him gratiously and for this cause drew him out of prison permitting him to conuerse in Babylon in which place there were a great number of Iewes who honoured Hircanus verie much and no lesse then their high priest and king The like also did all they of that nation inhabiting as farre as Euphrates which did not a little content Hircanus But after that he was aduertised that Herode was possessed of the kingdome he transferred his hopes another waie being of his owne nature tenderly affected toward his friends expecting that one day Herode would requite him for that he had deliuered him from death whereunto he was condemned and in danger likewise of the penalty and punishment He began therefore to consult with the Iewes as touching his iourney who in way of duetie and loue came to visit him and who besought him and importuned him to abide with them offering him all seruice and honour assuring him that he should in no lesse manner be respected among them then their high priest and king yea in farre higher regard then he might any waies be in his owne countrey by reason of the maime he had in his bodie thorow Antigonus tyranny alleadging that kings doe not ordinarily call to their remembrance those pleasures that they haue receiued in their infant fortunes because that with their estates they change both their manners and inclinations But notwithstanding all these or such like allegations yet could not Hircanus be withdrawne from the desire he had to repaire homeward Herode also wrote vnto him that he should require Phraates and the Iewes that inhabited his kingdome in no sort to enuie his felicitie in that he should partake with him both in dignitie and royaltie alleadging that the time was now come wherein he might acknowledge the benefits he had receiued by being heretofore nourished and preserued by him With these letters he sent Samaralla likewise on an embassage to Phraates furnished with great rich presents endeuouring by that meanes to winne him that he in no sort should hinder his gratulation and good intent towards one that had so highly deserued at his hands yet were not his protestations answerable to his pretence For insomuch as he gouerned not with that vprightnes which became a iust king he feared least some alteration might befall him according to his demerites for which cause he sought to get Hircanus vnder his power or at leastwise to dispatch him out of his life which he afterwards performed When as therefore Herode had perswaded the Parthian to dismisse Hircanus and the Iewes to furnish him with money sufficient to beare his expence in his iourney he receiued him with all honour In common assemblies he gaue him alwaies the highest place and in the time of festiuals he made him alwaies sit downe before him and the more closely to deceiue him he called him brother endeuouring himselfe by all means wholy to extinguish in him all colour and cause of suspicion of treacherie neitherintermitted he any other stratagems whereby in his opinion he might any waies further or promote his cause and yet by these meanes occasioned he no small sedition in his owne familie For carefully prouiding least any one among the nobilitie should be established high Priest he sent to Babylon for a certaine man of bace condition called Ananel and gaue him the Priesthood For which cause Alexandra grew sodainly displeased not being able to endure that outrage This woman was Hircanus daughter and Alexanders wife who was king Aristobulus sonne who had two children by her husband the one wondrous beautifull who also was called Aristobulus the other was Mariamme who was likewise faire and maried to Herode She was sore moued and highly displeased to see her sonne so much indignified for that during his life another was called to the honour of high Priesthood for which cause she wrote vnto Cleopatra by the meanes of a certaine Musition beseeching her to beg the high Priesthood at Antonius hands for hir sonne But for that Antonius made little reckoning of those suites a certaine friend of his called Gellius who was come into Iury about certain of his affaires and who had seene Aristobulus fell in loue with him by reason of his beautie and being abashed likewise at his great and goodly stature and allured by Mariammes admirable beautie he openly protested that he accounted Alexandra a happie mother in her children and deuising to this effect with her he perswaded her to send the pictures of her two children to Antonius for that if hee should but behold them he would refuse him in nothing wherein he should request his friendship Alexandra perswaded by these words sent their pictures vnto Antonius Gellius also made the matter more wonderfull telling him that the children seemed rather to be engendred of no mortall straine but by some diuine power labouring as much as in him lay that Antonius might be allured to affection them Who supposing it to be a matter ill be seeming him to send for Mariamme who was married to Herode and desirous likewise to auoid Clopatras suspicions wrote vnto Herode that vnder some honest pretext he should send Alexandras sonne vnto him with this addition if it might
not seeme troublesome vnto him Which matter when Herode vnderstood he thought it no waies incident to his securitie to send Aristobulus who was a faire young man and little more at that time then sixteene yeeres olde so nobly borne considering that Antonius was at that present in such authoritie that no one in Rome was in greater credit then he and who besides that was verie much addicted to his pleasures which he openly hunted after without feare of punishment in regard of his greatnes and power He therefore wrote him this answere that if the young man should but onely depart out of the countrey all the land would incontinently be filled with warre and troubles for that the Iewes pretended alteration in gouernment and sought to innouate by preferring a new king When as therefore he had in this sort excused himselfe vnto Antonius he resolued to entertaine both the younger Aristobulus and his mother Alexandra with more respect Moreouer his wife Mariamme did continually importune him to giue the priesthood to her brother alledging that by that honour he might preuent the occasion of his trauell For which cause assembling his friends togither in counsell he grieuously accused Alexandra before them protesting that she secretly conspired against the kingdome and that by the mediation of Cleopatra she laboured to dispossesse him of the soueraigntie to the intent that her sonnes by Antonius meanes might gouerne in his steed Which practise of hirs was so much the more vniust because she depriued her owne daughter of that honour wherein she was inseated raised vp troubles likewise in that kingdome which he had conquered with great trauel and extreme daunger Yet notwithstanding that he willingly forgat that which was past and forgaue those wrongs she had vrged against him and vvas readie notwithstanding to shew all kindnes and courtesie both to her and hers Furthermore he gaue the high priesthood to young Aristobulus alledging that heretofore he had established Ananel in that place for no other respect then for that Aristobulus was vnder yeeres After that he had thus seriously and considerately discoursed in the presence of the Ladies and the consistorie of his friends Alexandra almost beside her selfe not only thorow the ioy she had conceiued by this vnexpected good fortune but also for the feare she had to be suspected began to defend her selfe with teares protestations saying that al whatsoeuer she had either practised or done was to prefer her son vnto the Priesthood whō she saw dishonoured but as touching the kingdome that she had neuer pretēded neither would if so be she should be presented therwith receiue the same thinking her selfe for the present sufficiently honoured both for that she saw Aristobulus in that estate as for the assurance that all her progeny should receiue in that he was lifted vp in dignitie aboue the rest Being therefore ouercome by those merits she accepted willingly the honour for her sonne and shewed her selfe obedient in all things requesting him that if she had committed any thing rashy and thorow inconsideration of passion either in respect of her children or in vnbridled cariage of her tongue hee would be pleased to pardon her After these debates and interchangeable discourses on either side they shooke hands the one with the other in token of a more fixed and vnfained friendship then was before burying as they then pretended all euill suspition or cause of vnkindnes CHAP. III. Herode preferreth Aristobulus his wife Mariammes brother to the Priesthood and afterwards pu◅eth him to death HEreupon Herode tooke away the Priesthood instantly from Ananel who was not that countriman borne as we haue heretofore declared but was borne amongst those Iewes that inhabite and were planted beyond Euphrates by the Assirians For diuers thousand Iewes inhabite the countrey of Babylon and from thence tooke he his originall also being otherwise of the race of the Priests and intirely affected toward Herode for a long time before with whom he had familiar acquaintance He had preferred him to this honour at such time as he was made king and degraded him likewise to appease the troubles of his family demeasning himselfe herein contrarie to the law of the countrey For whereas any one hath once beene installed in that degree he is neuer to be displaced The first that transgressed this ordinance was Antiochus Epiphanes who dispossessed Iosuah and preferred his brother Onias to his place The second was Aristobulus who tooke it away from his brother Hircanus and vsurped it himselfe Herode was the third who gaue the Priesthood to Aristobulus establishing him in Ananels place before he was dead and by this meanes supposing that he had found out a remedie to appease the discords of his family he notwithstanding all this liued not without suspition what euent would follow after this reconciliation For he feared Alexandra least demeasning her selfe in such sort as before time she had done she should seeke occasion hereafter to raise new troubles He commaunded her therefore to containe her selfe within the roial pallace and to doe nothing of her owne authoritie Besides that he had appointed certaine intelligencers who should diligently obserue that nothing should be done without his knowledge no not concerning her particular expences and table All which things exasperated her hate and increased the same against Herode for being full of feminine pride she disdained to see her selfe thus wrongfully suspected desiring rather to suffer any thing then to be depriued of the liberty of free speech and vnder colour to be honoured to liue continually in seruitude and feare Whereupon she sent certaine of her trustie friends to Cleopatra to complaine and lament vnto her the importable miseries of her present estate requiring her according to her power to giue readie and speedie reliefe Whereupon Cleopatra sent her word that both she and her sonne should resort vnto her into Aegypt with as great secrecie as might be possible Vpon which aduice and the allowance thereof she practised this policy She caused two coffins to be made such as men were wont to burie the dead in in which she hid both her selfe and her sonne commaunding those seruants of hers that were priuie to her deliberation to carie them out in the night time and to bend their course directly towards the sea where there was a barke in readinesse prepared to shape their course and conuey them into Aegypt But Esop one of her household seruants declared this enterprise of hers to Sabbion one of Alexandras friends supposing that he had beene made priuie thereunto who had no sooner inkling thereof but for that before times he was Herodes enemy by reason he was suspected to haue beene one of those that sought to poison Antipater he determined by discouery of this secret flight to conuert Herodes hate into assured friendship and presently discouered Alexandras secret enterprise to the king Who dissembling the matter vntill it
the Temple with so many dead bodies Wherfore they who had escaped that massacre had iust occasion to consider their calamitie and after the law of armes to turne their faces to them who wounded them and beseech the Romans that they would thinke the remnant of the Iewes worthie of compassion and not to abandon and expose the residue of their nation as a pray vnto theÌ„ by whom they should be most cruelty 〈◊〉 but that it might please them to adioyne their country to the borders of Syria to let 〈◊〉 be ruled by the Romans and so they should find that the Iewes who now were accounted 〈◊〉 and rebellious vnder peaceable and quiet gouernours to be a peaceable nation and with this petition the Iewes ended their accusation After this Nicholaus stood vp against them and first of all acquited the kings of the crimes laid to their charge and then reproued his countrey-men for that they would not be easily gouerned and by their owne nature would not except they were forced obey their kings and he also blamed the kinsmen of Archelaus who ioined with his accusers Caesar hauing heard what both parts could say dismissed the Assembly And within a few dayes after he gaue Archelaus halfe of the kingdome vnder the title of an Ethnarch promising him moreouer to make him king if he behaued himselfe well the other halfe he deuided into two Tetrarchies and gaue them to the rest of Herods sonnes one vnto Philip the other vnto Antipas who contended with Archelaus for the crowne Antipas his part lay from Galilee beyond the riuer Iordan the reuenues whereof was two hundreth talents a yeere And Philip had Batanaea and Trachons and Auranitis and part of Zeno his house neere Iamnia the reuenues whereof amounted to one hundred talents a yeere Archelaus had in his Ethnarchie Idumaea and all Iudaea and Samaria which was freed from the fourth part of their tribute because they rebelled not with the rest And these Cities were giuen him ouer which he was Lord Stratons tower Sebaste Ioppe and Ierusalem The rest Gaza and Gadara and Hippon Caesar tooke from the kingdome and ioyned them to Syria Archelaus yearely reuenues amounted to foure hundreth Talents a yeere Caesar also beside that which Herod left her made Salome Ladie of Iamnia Azotus and Phasaelis and the Pallace at Ascalon all which amounted to threescore talents a yeere But Caesar made her house subiect vnto Archelaus his Ethnarchie And hauing distributed vnto the rest of Herods kinred that which in his testament he left them he gaue his two daughters that were virgins ouer and aboue fiue hundreth thousand drachmes of siluer and married them vnto Pheroras sonnes and hauing deuided Herods patrimonie amongst them hee also distributed that which Herod bequeathed vnto him amounting vnto a thousand talents leauing himselfe onely some iewell of small value which he reserued in honour and remembrance of the dead CHAP. V. Of the false supposed Alexander and how he was taken AT the same time a certaine young man a Iew borne brought vp by a Libertine of Rome in the towne of Sidonia being verie like vnto Alexander whom Herod put to death went to Rome hauing one of his countrimen for his companion who knew verie well all the estate of the kingdome by whom he receiuing instructions affirmed that they who should haue put him and Aristobulus to death being moued to compassion let them goe and tooke two others in their roome like them With this tale he deceiued manie Iewes liuing in Creete where he was honourably receiued and from thence hee failed to Melos where he was yet entertained with greater pompe and enriching himselfe he vsed such means that he got his oasts which gaue him entertainment to saile with him to Rome and after arriuing at Dicaearchia he receiued all maner of rich gifts of the Iewes which dwelled there and there by his fathers friendes was honoured as a king For hee was so like vnto Alexander that they that had seene Alexander and knew him well would haue sworne he had beene Alexander Wherefore all the Iewes at Rome desired to see him so that an infinite multitude followed him whithersoeuer he went in the streetes and they so doted vpon him that they carried him in a horslitter and at their owne proper cost and charges prepared for him a royall traine But Caesar well remembred Alexanders visage for Herod accused him before him and although before he saw him he iudged that it was some that presumed because of his likenesse vnto Alexander to say that hee was the same yet he made as though he beleeued all and sent one Celadus who knew Alexander well to will this yong man to come vnto him Who no sooner beheld him but forthwith he perceiued the difference betwixt them and especially when he felt his hard flesh and seruile shape he presently vnderstood the whole matter But he was greatly moued with his bold speeches for when they demaunded of him what was become of Aristobulus hee answered that he was aliue yet he vpon purpose â—…aried behind and liued in Cyprus fearing some treason for they being asunder could not so easily bee intrapped Celadus taking him apart from the rest of the companie told him that Caesar would saue his life if he did trulie confesse by whose counsell he fained himselfe to be Alexander He accepting of this offer followed him to Caesar and declared himselfe to be a Iew who for â—…re sake being verie like him counterfeited himselfe to be Alexander affirming that 〈◊〉 had receiued such great gifts of the Cities by which he passed that he thought if Alexander had beene aliue he should not haue receiued the liâ—…e Caesar laught at this iest and made false Alexander for the abilitie of his bodie a galley-slaue and put him to death who induced him thereto And as for the Iewes of Milo he thought that they had punishment sufficient if they lost all that which they had laid out and bestowed vpon him CHAP. VI. Of the banishment and death of Archelaus ARchelaus being now made Prince remembred the discord past and in reuenge thereof he tyrannized not onely ouer the Iewes but also ouer the Samaritans and in the ninth yeere of his raigne the Iewes and Samaritans sent Embassadours against him vnto Caesar and finally hee was banished and sent to Vienna a Citie of Gallia and â—…ll his patrimonie was confiscate vnto Caesar. Before hee was summoned to appeare before Caesar hee reported that he had a maruellous dreame for he saw nine great eares full of corne deuoured by oxen and presently sending for Prophets and Chaldaeans he demanded what that dreame betokened Some interpreted it one way and some another but one Simon an Essean told him that the eares of corne betokened yeares the oxen signified the changes mutations of this world for as much as in labouring the land they turned vp and altered it and therefore he
banquetted with him hearing the noyse were all of them sore troubled and Ioab in particular said that those tunes and trumpettings did no waies content him Whilest thus they sate at the banquet and euerie man thorow amase forbore to eate his meat being distracted thorow varietie of thoughts Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar came hastily in amongst them This yoong man did Adonias most willingly behold and said that he was a messenger of some glad tydings but contrariwise he recited vnto them all that which had befallen Salomon or had been decreed by Dauid Whereupon Adonias and all his guests forsooke the banquet and sodainly fled euerie man vnto his own house But Adonias fearing the kings displeasure by reason of his ambition and arrogancie ranne vnto the altar and laying hold of it after the manner of a suppliant hung thereon according as he in reason had cause to doe Now when these tydings were brought vnto Salomon and what he had done and how he required that Salomon would assure him that he would neuermore call to memorie that which had hapned but pardon his offence Salomon answered him gratiously and moderately and pardoned him that fault notwithstanding with this caution that if hereafter it should appeare that he intended or acted any rebellion it should be Adonias himselfe who should be the author of his mischiefe with this answere he sent some to deliuer him from the altar When as therefore he came into Salomons presence had saluted him he was commanded to repaire home vnto his house without suspect of any inconuenient yet by the way was he admonished to behaue himselfe vprightly for the time to come if in any sort he either respected his credit or profit But Dauid willing that his sonne should be accepted for their knowne and annointed king amongst the people assembled the gouernours in Ierusalem with the Priests and Leuites and first of all taking the number of them he found thirtie three thousand men that were aboue thirtie three yeeres olde twenty three thousand of which he appointed to take charge of the building of the temple six thousand to be Iudges and Scribes with the like number of musitions to play vpon instruments who were furnished by Dauid as we haue heretofore declared and distributed by him according to their families So that separating the Priests from the rest of their tribe he found foure and twenty families of them sixteene of the house of Eleazar and eight of the house of Ithamar giuing order that one onely family should for the space of eight daies performe Gods seruice And thus were all the families distributed by lot in the presence of Dauid of the high priests Sadoc and Abiathar and of all the gouernours The first family that ascended the temple was written first the second next and so successiuely the rest to the number of foure and twenty and this law remaineth in the same sort euen vnto this day He made also twenty and foure diuisions of the tribe of Leui who ascended according as they were chosen by lot in the same manner as did the priests euerie eight day He honoured in particular those of Moses posteritie for he appointed them to be keepers of Gods treasurie and of those presents which the kings should offer He enacted also that all as well Leuites as Priests should serue God day and night according as they were commanded by Moses That done he distributed his whole army into twelue companies with their gouernours centurions and conducters euery squadron contained foure and twenty thousand men whom hee appointed to guard and attend king Salomon for the space of thirtie daies continuing from the first vntill the last with their captaines ouer thousands and centurions He likewise established those men in office and authoritie ouer euery squadron whom hee knew to be most resolute and vertuous He appointed also surueiros who should haue the charge of the treasure of the burroughs and fields and of the cattell whose names in mine opinion it were vnnecessarie to declare After that euerie one of these things were in this manner disposed he summoned all the gouernours of the Hebrewes and in generall all those that had any commission ouer the affaires or demaines of the kings to a generall assembly and seating himselfe in a hie erected throne he spake after this manner My brethren and countrimen I am desirous that you should know that hauing determined with my selfe to build a temple vnto God I haue made prouision of a great quantity of gold and siluer the sum whereof amounteth to a hundreth thousand talents but God by the Prophet Nathan hath forbidden me to build the same by reason of your wars and for that my hand hath bin soiled with the slaughter of enemies and hath commanded that my son who shall succeed me in my kingdome shall erect a temple vnto him Now therfore since you are ascertained that amongst the twelue sons of Iacob Iuda by the general consent of them all obtained the principality that I amongst my six brethren haue bin preferred placed by God in the kingdome and notwithstanding no one of them supposeth himselfe to be iniured so do I also request that Salomon hauing obtained the empire my other sons neither in respect of him nor amongst themselues nourish any vnnaturall hatreds and seditions but knowing that he is chosen by God they may willingly subiect themselues to his dominion For whereas if God so pleaseth it is not to be misliked to submit our selues to forrain subiection how much more are ye bound to congratulate and fauour your brother no otherwise then if you were partakers of the same honors with him Truely I desire nothing more then that Gods promises may be brought to effect and that that felicitie which attendeth this region vnder the gouernment of Salomon may presently be dispersed perpetually indure in this countrey Which without doubt will so fall out and all things shall happely succeede if thou my sonne be a maintainer of pietie and iustice and the ancient lawes and ordinances of thy progenitors otherwise if these be neglected there is no other thing to be expected but mortalitie and miserie After he had finished these sayings he gaue his sonne the plot and modle of the building of the Temple with all the foundations both of the houses and chambers togither with the number height and breadth of the same he also limited the waight of those vessels that were to be fashioned either of gold or of siluer exhorting him to employ all his care and diligence in performance of the same He incouraged likewise the gouernours and the tribe of Leui to assist him both for that his yeeres had not as yet obtained their ripe maturity as also for that by Gods diuine prouidence he was admitted and elected king and was appointed to build the temple assuring them that the building would be verie easie and no waies laborious considering that he had
them daily in complotting worser wickednesse For he imitated all their impieties and wickednes but especially the apostasie of Ieroboam for he adored those calues that were erected by him and besides that he added farre worse impieties then the former He tooke to wife Iezabel the daughter of Ithobal King of the Tyrians and Sidonians of whom he learned to adore the gods of her nation for she was a busie and audacious woman and of such immeasurable madnesse that she feare not to build a temple in honour of Bel the god of the Tyrrians and to plant a wood furnished with all kinde of trees and to ordaine priests and false prophets also in honour of that God The king also tooke delight to haue these kindes of men oftentimes about him exceeding all other kings before him in madnes and malice To him came a certaine prophet sent by the Almighty God that was borne in Thesbon in Galaad telling him that he foreprophecied that neither dew nor raine should fal on the earth a long time vntil that himselfe who was prepared to depart frō him should appeare again vnto him and binding the same with an oath for the better confirmation thereof he retired himselfe to the Southward where he liued by a certain riuer from whence he fetcht his drinke for his meat was daily brought him by certaine Crowes Now when the riuer thorow want of raine was waxen drie God commanded him to repaire vnto Sareptha a Citie not farre from Sidon and Tyre and scituate in the midst betweene them both where he should finde a widow woman who should furnish him with food As soone therefore as he drew neere vnto the gate he saw a woman that liued by her labour gathering of sticks and God gaue him to vnderstand that it was she who should nourish him Wherupon he came vnto her and saluted her praying her that she would bring him some water to coole his thirst and as she was ready to depart he called her backe againe and willed her to bring him some bread also Whereupon she swore that she had nothing in her house but a handfull of flower and a little oyle and that she was come forth to gather sticks to the end she might bake the same and make bread for her selfe and her sonne and when they had eaten the same they must needly perish thorow famine because they had not any thing more left them Go said the prophet and be of good courage and conceiue better hopes and when thou hast prepared meate for me bring it me for I tell thee that thy pitcher of meale shall neither faile nor thy pot of oyle be emptie vntill that God send raine vpon the earth When the Prophet had spoken thus she approched neere vnto him and performed that which he commanded and shee her selfe had sufficient to feede vpon and shee gaue the rest vnto her son and to the prophet so that they wanted nothing so long as the drougth continued Menander maketh mention of this default of raine in the acts of Ithobal king of the Tyrians speaking after this manner In his time there was a season without raine from the moneth of October vntill October in the next yeare after but vpon his supplication and request there fell great store of thunder He builded the Citie of Botris in Phenicia Auzate in Libya Doubtlesse he expressed herby the drougth that hapned in Achabs time for about that time Ithobale raigned ouer the Tyrians as Menander testifieth in his historie This woman of whom we haue spoken heretofore that nourished the Prophet seeing her sonne fallen sicke lying senseles as if he had beene alreadie dead or yeelding vp of the ghost wept brake out into such passionate laments as were answerable to her desolate estate said that the cause of her misfortune was in that the Prophet was come into her house and had discouered her sinnes and that for the same cause her sonne was dead But he recomforted her and willed her to be of a good courage and commanded her to bring the child vnto him assuring her that he would restore him to life Now when she had brought him he tooke the child and bare him into his lodging where he remained and laid him on his bed cried out vnto god saying that he had but slenderly recompenced her that had receiued and nourished him if so be her sonne should be taken from her hee therefore besought him that he would returne the soule into the bodie restore life vnto the infant Whereupon God hauing compassion on the mother and being willing to gratifie the Prophet and to the intent that no man might suppose that he came vnto her to endomage her he restored the child to life beyond all expectation For which the mother gaue thanks vnto the Prophet saying that by this meanes she was thorowly perswaded that God had spoken vnto him Not long after hee sought out Achab according as God had commaunded him to let him vnderstand that he should haue raine At that time the famine raigned ouer the whole country and there was great want of necessarie victuals so that men did not onely faint for want of bread but the earth also for want of raine could not bring forth that which was requisite for the sustenance of horses and other cattell The king therefore calling Obediah vnto him who was the master of his heards he commaunded him that he should each way seeke out for fountaines and brookes willing him that if he found out any grasse he should mow the same and giue it to his cattell for their sustenance And whereas by his commaund the Prophet Elias was sought in diuers places and could not be found he willed Obediah also to follow him So taking both of them seuerall waies the king followed one and the master of the cattell an other This Obediah was a godly and vertuous man who when the Prophets were put to death hid one hundreth of them in dens and sustained them with bread and water After this man was departed from the king Elias met with him and asked him what he was which when he had certified him he humbled himselfe on his face before him Elias commaunded him to repaire vnto the king and to certifie him that he was hard at hand Obediah asked him wherein he had offended him that he would make him a minister and messenger vnto him who had sought to kill him and had by-laid the countrey to apprehend him For there was not any streight whither he sent not some of his men to find out Elias with charge that if they found him they should put him to death Now it may so be said he that whilest I repaire vnto the king the spirit of God wherewith thou art fulfilled will carry thee away and the king not finding thee here and frustrate of his desire will reuenge himselfe on my head Be thou not therefore so secure by
sworne he would keepe it to his vse Furthermore he reproched him for his ingratitude in that hauing receiued the royaltie from his hands which he had taken from Ioachin to bestow it on him he had notwithstanding employed all his forces against his benefactor But said he that great God that hateth thy trecherie hath deliuered thee into my hands and when he had spoken these words he caused Zedechias friends and children to be slaine before his eies with all his other prisoners afterwards commaunding his eies to be plucked out he led him to Babylon All which hapned vnto him according as the prophets Ieremie and Ezechiel had foretolde him namely that he should be surprised and brought before the king of Babylon and should speake with him face to face and should see him with his eies for so had Ieremy prophecied but being made blind and conducted to Babylon he should not see the Citie of Babylon according as Ezechiel had foretold All which may sufficiently expresse to those that knowe not the nature of God how diuers and admirable his iudgements be in disposing all things in good order and presignifying those things that are to come euen as in this place there appeareth a most signall example of humaine errour and incredulitie by which it was not lawfull for them to auoid their future calamitie neither shunne their vnremoueable destinie Thus was the race of the kings extinguished that descended from Dauid who were in number one and twentie that raigned after him All of them together gouerned fiue hundreth and fourteene yeares sixe moneths and ten daies adding thereunto the twentie yeares of the first king Saul who was of an other tribe After this the Babylonian sent Nabuzardan general of his army vnto Ierusalem to spoile the temple giuing him in charge to burne both it and the kings pallace and to race and leuell the Citie with the ground and afterwards to transport the people into Babylon Who arriued there the eleuenth yeare of the raigne of Sedechias spoyled the temple caried away the vessels that were cōsecrated to Gods seruice both those of gold as also them of siluer he tooke likewise the great lauer that was giuen by Salomon The columnes and pillars of brasse with their chapters likewise and the tables and candlestickes of gold and after he had borne away all things he burned the temple the first day of the fist moneth of the eleuenth yeare of Sedechias raigne which was the eighteenth of Nabuchodonosors gouernment He burned also the kings royall pallace and raced the Citie This temple was burned 470. yeares sixe moneths and 10 daies after the foundation therof in the yeare 1062. six monethes ten daies after the departure of the people out of Aegypt 1950. yeres six moneths ten daies after the Deluge from the creation of Adam vntil the ruine of the temple there were three thousand fiue hundreth and thirteen yeares six moneths and ten daies Thus haue we set downe the number of the yeares and orderly expressed what and in what time euerie thing hath beene performed The generall for the king of Babylon hauing destroyed the Citie and transported the people tooke prisoners the high Priest Sareas and his fellow in office the Priest Sephan with the gouernours and keepers of the Temple which were three the Eunuch also which had the charge ouer the rest and seuen of Sedechias friends and his secretarie besides sixty other gouernours al which together with the vessels which he had pillaged he sent to Reblatha a Citie of Syria vnto the king of Babylon who commaunded in that place that the high Priest and gouernours should be beheaded as for the rest of the prisoners and Sedechias the king he carried them with him to Babylon he sent also in bonds with the rest Iosadoch the son of Sareas the high Priest whom he had put to death in Reblatha as we haue heretofore declared And for that we haue reckned vp the race of the kings set down likewise what they were and how long they continued me seemeth that it shall not be vnnecessarie to recite the names of the high Priests and to report who they haue beene that haue administred the priesthood vnder the kings Sadoc was the first high Priest of the temple builded by Salomon After him his sonne Achimas succeeded in that honour and after Achimas Azarias after whom succeeded Ioram and after Ioram Ioschua after Ioschua Axioram who had for his successor Phideas to Phideas succeeded Sudeas to Sudeas Iulus to Iulus Iotham to Iotham Vrias to Vrias Nerias to Nerias Odeas to Odeas Saldum to Saldum Elcias to Elcias Sareas to Sareas Iosadoch who was carried away prisoner into Babylon all which haue succeeded in the priesthood by lineall descent When Nabuchodonosor was come to Babylon he shut vp Sedechias in prison where he kept him vntill he died and after his death he honoured him with a royall tombe He likewise offered the vessels that he had taken out of the temple of Ierusalem vnto his gods and caused the people to inhabite the countrey of Babylon deliuering the high priest from his bonds The generall Nabuzardan that led the people away captiue left the poorer sort in the country of Iudaea those also that voluntarily yeelded themselues vnto him ouer whom hee appointed Godolias the sonne of Aicam gouernour a man that was both vpright and noble commanding them to till the land and to pay their assigned tribute to the king He drew the Prophet Ieremy also out of prison perswading him to repaire with him to the king of Babylon telling him that he had receiued expresse commaundement from the king to furnish him with all thinges necessarie for that iourney but if he were not contented to repaire to Babylon he should declare to him in what place he would make his aboad to the intent he might certifie the king thereof But the Prophet would not follow him neither depart or soiourne in any other place desiring rather to liue amidst the ruines of his countrey and among the pitious reliques of his poore nation When the generall Nabuzardan vnderstood his resolution he gaue charge to the gouernor Godolias whom he left in Iudaea to haue care of him and to furnish him with all that which he wanted and after he had gratified him with presents he departed Meane while Ieremy dwelt in the Citie of Masphath praying Nabuzardan that he would send him his disciple Baruch the son of Neria a man of a noble family and excellently learned in that countrey language Nowe when as these that during the siege of Ierusalem were retired out of the Citie vnderstood of the retreat of the Babylonians they assembled togither from all parts and came to Masphath to Godolias vnder the conduct of Iohn the sonne of Careas and Iezanais and Sareas and others And besides these a certaine man called Ismael of the bloud royall a wicked
departed out of it and mooued with religion to make satisfaction he builded a most sumptuous monument of white marble at the entrances into the Sepulchre of which building Nicholaus also a writer of that time maketh mention but he speaketh not how they went into the Sepulchre of Dauid thinking that therein he should not keepe decorum if he should make mention thereof Wherein he followed his accustomed order for his writings were to come to the eares of the king yet liuing wherein he did onely curry fauour mentioning onely that that might redound vnto the kings credit so that many of his open and wicked prankes he doth either colour vnder some other pretence or else alwaies possible he endeuoured to hide them For he doth as it were tell a tale of Herodes crueltie against Mariamme and his sonnes as though he did thereby deserue credit and praise accusing her of adulterie and them as traitors vnto their father and this he doth cleane thorow his workes too much extolling the kings good deedes and too diligently excusing his bad deedes and iniquities But as I haue said we must pardon him who did not so much write to leaue a memorie of things done vnto after ages as to gratifie and please his king But I who come of the linage of the Asamonian kings and execute the office of a Priest account it a shame to lie and doe intend truely to recount the historie of all things that were acted and done yet with a reuerence of the posteritie of that king who doe also now beare sway and rule yet with their pardon and leaue hauing a greater care to the veritie of our historie then to them After the Sepulchre was thus violated Herods house began to decay whether reuenge lighting vpon that part which was alreadie scarse sound or whether by meere chance such calamitie at that time befell him as might iustly be thought the reward of impietie For there was a discord in the court not vnlike vnto ciuill warres euerie one striuing against other with hatred and forged accusations but especially Antipaters politicke practise against his brethren was to be noted who entangling them by other mens forged accusations himselfe oftentimes seemed to take vpon him their defence that making a shew of good will vnto them he might secretly oppresse them the sooner and he did so craftily circumuent his father that his father deemed him to bee his onely conseruer Wherefore the king commended Ptolomeus his procurator vnto Antipater his sonne and did communicate all his secrets vnto his mother so that all things were done according as they pleased and they made him displeased ◅gainst those whom they knew the kings displeasure might redoud vnto their profit But Mariammes children did euerie day stomacke the matter more and more disdaining to giue place vnto their inferiour and for their nobiltie not enduring to be remoued from their places and not to keepe their dignitie also their wiues did the like and Alexanders wife Glaphyra who was the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia did greatly enuy and disdaine Salome and she also her againe both for the loue that she bare vnto her husband and for that she disdained as women are wont that her daughter married vnto Aristobulus should be in equall honour with her Pheroras also the kings brother had a hand in this other contention about a priuate cause of suspition and hatred For he fell so farre in loue with one of his maides that he refused the kings daughter offered vnto him rather making choise of his maide Herode tooke this in verie euill part seeing his brother who had receiued so many benefits at his hands and was almost his fellow in his kingdome by his meanes not to shew the like brotherly affection to him againe as he then ought and himselfe to be an vnhappie brother And seeing he could not disswade him from that madnesse he maried his daughter vnto Phasaelus his sonne and afterward thinking that now his brothers mind towards his maide was satisfied he complaining of his iniurious dealing in repulsing his daughter offered vnto him to wife he now offered him another of his daughters named Cypros Then Ptolomeus aduised Pheroras not still to contemne his brothers offer and persist in such folly telling him it was his meere folly therefore to incurre the kings displeasure and hatred and losse of tranquilitie Pheroras vnderstanding this counsell profitable for him hauing beene once before iniuriously accused and obtained pardon at the kings hands sent away his maid by whom he now had a son and promised the king to mary this his other daughter appointed the thirtith day after to celebrate his mariage making a solemne oth vnto the king neuer after that time to vse the company of that womā whom he had put away The time appointed being expired he fell so farre in loue with the former woman that he would not stand to his promise but againe companied with his maid Then Herode not able any longer to conteine himselfe vsed many speeches whereby he euidētly shewed his mind to be alienated from his brother And there were many who taking hereat opportunitie did by forged calumniations encrease his alienation so that now there was no day nor hower past wherein he did not still heare some new alterations and stirs amongst his deerest friends whom nature willed to combine themselues to maintaine concord and amitie For Salome being now offended at Mariammes children did not permit her daughter maried vnto Aristobulus one of the young men to enioy mutuall loue and comfort of her husband enticing her to bewraie her husbands secret talke and if she heard any small occasions of offence as often it falleth out she should the more aggrauate them with suspicions whereby she also learned all their secrets and made the young woman hate her husband And she to please her mother recounted how that often when her husband and Alexander were alone that then they were wont to talke of Mariamme their mother and vse reprochfull words against their father and threatning that if they euer did obtaine the kingdome they would make the sonnes of the king whom he had by other wiues notaries and towne-clerkes and so they might reape profit of their learning which they now studied for and whensoeuer they saw any of the kings wiues weare any of Mariammes apparell that then they vowed in steed of that attire to cloath them with sackcloth and shut them vp where they should neuer see the Sunne Salome presently told all this to the king who though he were much grieued hereat yet he chose rather to seeke to amend it then to punish thē for he was greatly incited against them by suspition euery day waxing worse worse at last he beleeued all the reports of anie whomsoeuer But hee then contented only sharpely to chide his sonnes and pacified with their excuses and answers he for that time was quiet But presently the
mischiefe was againse set on foote for Pheroras the kings brother meeting Alexander who as we haue said was Glaphyra her husband who was daughter to Archelaus he told him that he heard by Salome that Herod was far in loue with Glaphyra so that he could not shake off this affection The young man hearing this became iealous and was in a great rage and now what honour soeuer or gifts Herod for the loue of his sonne gaue her Alexander did interpret it in the worst sense being now made iealous by that which he had heard of Pheroras not able to put vp such iniuries as he thought he went vnto his father and with teares recounted vnto him what Pheroras had told him But Herod was hereat the more enflamed not enduring himselfe falsly to be accused of so shamefull a fact inueighin against the great malice of his friends who for his great good turâ—…s he did them so rewarded him And presently sending for Pheroras very sharpely he began toâ—… hide him saying O most impious that liueth amongst men art thou become so vngratefull either to speake or thinke such a matter of vs Thinkest thou that I do not perceiue thy drift that thou speakest not these words vnto thy sonne to discredite me but also to the intent by this meanes thou mightest worke some treason against me cause me to be poisoned For who but a good sonne as this is would suffer his father suspected for such a matter to liue and not be reuenged of him for such offence Whether doest thou thinke that thou didst put these speeches into his mind or by them a sword into his hand to kill his father withall or what was thy intent seeing thou hatest both him and his brother and only counter faiting good will towards me to belie me and to report that of me that without impietie could not be thought get thee hence thou wretched impe seeing thou hast thus abused thy brother who hath well deserued at thy hands and do as thou wilt all thy life time my selfe will endeuour to be better vnto my children then I haue been and neither will I punish them as they deserue but I wil honour them aboue their merits The king hauing discharged his choler against his brother Pheroras and he being taken in a manifest fault answered that that report was first deuised by Salome of whom he heard it which she being then present hearing began to exclaime saying it was not her deuise and that they all laboured to make the king hate her and to put her to death being one who did especially wish him well and what in her lay seeking his safetie and that now he was in daunger of more treason then euer before for said she I was the onely cause that you did put away the woman whom you so doated after perswading you to marrie the kings daughter and this is the cause that you hate me With these speeches tearing her haire and striking her breast she made a shew of innocency but this her gesture was a colour to hide her bad entent So Pheroras was left in great pexplexitie not knowing what to say or do and finding no pretence to excuse his fact for on the one side he confessed that he told it vnto Alexander and on the other that he could not make Herode beleeue that he heard it of Salome This contention endured a good while at last the king being wearied sent away his brother and his sister and greatly commending his sonnes moderate mind and that he had giuen him intelligence of those speeches verie late in the night he went to supper After this contention Salome was hardly thought of because she was iudged to be the authour of this ill report and the kings wiues wished euill vnto her because they knew her to be of strange qualities and hard to please and so variable that according to the time one while she would professe friendship and presently after hatred Wherefore they still had some thing to enforme Herode of against her taking occasion hapning by chaunce which was this There was a king of the Arabians named Obodas a slouthfull man and one giuen to idlenes and there was one Syllaeus that did gouerne all his affairs this man was a craftie fellow in the prime of his youth and very beautifull This Syllaeus comming vnto Herode about some busines and viewing Salome who then sate at supper with him began to set his mind vpon her and finding she was a widow he entred into talke with her and she finding her brother now not so friendly vnto her as before he had beene and also entangled with the beautie of this young man did not greatly denie to marie him many feasts being made at that time they shewed euident signes of their mutuall consent and loue one vnto another The kings wiues told the king of this in scoffing sort Herode herewith not contented demanded of Pheroras how the matter stood willed him at supper time to note if he could espie any tokens of familiaritie betwixt them And Pheroras told him that by signes mutuall viewing one another they sufficiently shewed their intents After this the Arabian being suspected departed into his owne countrey But two or three moneths after he came againe into Iudaea only for this purpose talked with Herod concerning this matter requesting him to let Salome be his wife affirming that that affinity would be profitable vnto him for the traficke between his people the Arabians whose prince he was to be did alreadie enioy a great part of the dominion Herod told al this vnto his sister asked her if she would marie him she answered she would Then they requested that Syllaus should become a Iew in religion or else it was not lawful for him to mary her He would not condescend hereunto affirming that he should be stoned to death by his people if he did it and so he departed without obtaining his purpose From that time forth Pheroras and especially the kings wiues accused Salome of intemperancy affirming that she had had the companie of the Arabian Now Herode determined to marry his daughter vnto Salomes sonne whom Pheroras refused for the loue of his maide which sonne of Salomes was her eldest that she had by Costabarus and that to shew his good will toward Salome his sister But he was disswaded by Pheroras who told him that the young man would neuer loue such a father in law because of his fathers death perswading him rather to marie her to his eldest sonne who was to succeed him in his Tetrarchie which he easily perswaded the king vnto and so obtained pardon for his former offence Wherefore the spousals being changed the maide was maried vnto the youg man who had an hundred talents in dowrie with her more then otherwise should haue beene giuen with her But all this while the dissension of Herodes house did not cease
and ripped vp the outrage that was done vnto his daughters as it hath beene declared ascribing the same to the pride of this woman obiecting it for a crime against her for thereby she had iniued his honour Besides this he accused her that she had of set purpose stirred vp mutinies and by all meanes possible both in word and in effect contrarie to all law of nature shee stirred vp debate betwixt him and his brother and that the fine that he had imposed vpon his aduersaries was satisfied at her charge so that no ◅ot of that conspiracy was contriued without her priuitie and consent For which causes said he brother Pheroras it shall not be amisse for you of your owne accord to driue such a wretched woman from you before you be requested and the sentence be prouounced against her otherwise she will be the cause to kindle a warre betwixt you and me For if at this present you will continue the friendship and brotherhood betwixt you and me separate your selfe from her in so doing I will account you for my brother and you shall lose nothing by the affection which I beare vnto you For the bond of brotherly loue cannot continue safe and vnuiolate vnlesse you put her away Now although Pheroras was moued with the importance and waight of this discourse yet said he that for the loue he bare vnto his wife he would forget nothing of that dutie which consanguinitie required at his hands in regard of his brother but that he had rather die then to liue without her company whom he loued more deerely then his life Herode although he tooke this answere of his brothers for a most gricuous iniurie yet forbare he to discouer his displeasure towards him he onely forbad Antipater and his mother and in like manner Pheroras to frequent the one with the other any more He commaunded the women likewise that they should giue ouer their familiar entertainments the one with the other which all of them promised to performe Yet this notwithstanding vpon fit opportunities and occasions they visited one another and Antipater and Pheroras feasted one another by night The report also went that Antipater had the company of Pheroras wife and that his mother was the meanes and minister of their priuie meetings CHAP. IIII. Herode sendeth Antipater vnto Caesar. ANtipater suspecting his fathers dislikes and fearing least his hatred should by increase bring him into hazard he wrote vnto his friends in Rome requiring them to write their letters vnto Herod requesting him to send Antipater vnto Caesar with al expedition as was possible Which being brought to passe Herode sent him thither with diuers royall presents and gaue him his testament and will with him wherein he had bequeathed the kingdome to Antipater And if it should happē that Antipater should die before him then bequeathed he the same to his son Herod whom he had by the high Priests daughter About the same time Syllaeus the Arabian repaired to Rome notwithstanding he had neglected those things that Caesar had giuen him in charge Him did Antipater accuse before Caesar for the same defaults wherewith he was charged by Nicholaus Syllaeus also was accused by Aretas for murthering diuers of the best account in the citie of Petra contrarie to his mind amongst the which was Sohemus a man of much vertue and honour and Phabatus Caesars seruant of which crimes Syllaeus was accused vpon that occasion which ensueth There was a certaine man of Corinthus who was one of the kings gard and such a one as he putvery great trust in him did Syllaeus perswade by store of money and bribes to kill Herode which he promised to performe Phabatus made priuie to Syllaeus mind he presently told it to the king who caused him to be apprehended and tortured who confessed the whole matter He laid hands also on two Arabians perswaded by this Corinthians confession one of which was a man of commaund in his countrey and the other was Syllaeus chiefest friend They being examined confessed that they came thither to solicite and egge forward with many exhortations the Corinthian to execute the murther and to assist him if he stood in need of them Which being fully approued by Herode before Saturnine he sent them to Rome there more amply to be proceeded against and so to be punished CHAP. V. Pheroras death HErode perceiuing that his brother Pheroras did constantly continue his affection towards his wife he commaunded him to retire himselfe into his owne dominion whereupon he willingly departed to his Terrarchy protesting by many solemne othes that he would neuer more returne into the citie vnlesse he were assured that Herode was dead Not long after it hapned that the king falling sicke he was sent for to receiue certaine secret instructions as from the mouth of a dying man but Pheroras would not obey him in regard of his oth This notwithstanding Herode dealt more kindly with him and continued his loue and affection towards him for he came vnto Pheroras as soone as he heard of his first sicknes and being vnsent for also and after he was deceased he sent his bodie to Ierusalem and honourably entombed him in that place and grieously lamented his death This was the beginning of all Antipaters mishaps who at that time was departed to Rome For it was Gods pleasure that at last he should be punished for the murther of his brethren This matter will I discourse of at large that it may serue for an example vnto many kings how they ought to practise and follow vertue in all their actions CHAP. VI. Pheroras wife is accused and Herode is aduertised of Antipaters conspiracies AFter Pheroras death two of his freemen who were Taphnites by birth and such as Pheroras in his life time both inlie trusted and dearely loued came vnto Herode requiring him not to suffer his brothers death to passe vnpunished but to make diligent enquirie of that vnfortunate and vnexpected misaduenture Herode lent a willing care vnto their suite perceiuing that the matters they importuned him in were likely and verie credible Whereupon they told him that Pheroras the day before his vnexpected sicknesse had supt with his wife and that hauing receiued an vnaccustomed poison with his meate he was dead That this poison had been brought thither by a woman of Arabia who in her speech protested that it was some potion to increase loue but in effect it was to bring Pheroras to his end For the women of Arabia amongst all others are skilfull in poisons and are great sorcerers and she that was charged with this fact was esteemed a great freind and sauourer of Syllaeus best beloued That Pheroras mother and his wifes sister went into those quarters vpon purpose to buy that poyson and returned backe and brought this woman with them the day before the supper The king mooued by these words of theirs tortured both those
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
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
kingdome and railed against such as he had no power ouer Antipater increased this mischiefe more and more and gathering togither a great company of his friends he omitted no kind of calumniation The king likewise was terrified by the rumours tales of pickthanks that he thought alwaies that he saw Alexander before him with a drawen sword For which cause he sodainly tooke him and cast him in prison and tortured his friends many of which died in torments because they would not confesse more then in conscience was true others not able to endure the torments were forced to confesse that Alexander and his brother Aristobulus thought to haue wrought treason against their father that they expected their time till he went a hunting resolued in themselues that hauing killed him they would presently flie to Rome Although these and such like calumniations were nowaies probable yet extremitie of paine forced men extempore to inuent them and the king willingly beleeued them as it were comforting himselfe thereby in that he might not be thought to haue imprisoned his sonne vn◅stly Alexander perceluing that it was vnpossible for him to abolish his fathers suspition thought it better to yeeld hi◅selfe guiltio and so wrote foure bookes against his aduersaries and confessed the treason affirming that he had many partakers therein namely Pheroras Salome who were the chiefe auouching that before that time he had had the vse of her body in the night time and how though he himselfe was vnwilling yet she forced him thereunto Now the bookes came vnto Herods hands which charged the greatest amongst the nobilitie with most hainous matters Archelaus fearing his son in law and daughter to be in great danger speedily came into Iudaea and ingeniously appeased the kings wrath for so soone as he came vnto Herod he cried where is that wicked son in law of mine or where may I see the face of that wre◅h that goeth about to murther his father that I may teare him in peeces with mine own hands marrie my daughter anew to a better husband for although she be not priuie to his cou◅sell yet is she defiled for that she was wife to such a man Nay I admire thy patience who art in such daunger and sufferest Alexander yet to liue for I came thus hastily out of Cappadocia thinking he had beene put to death to talke with thee concerning my daughter whom I maried to him for thy sake and honour Wherefore now let vs take counsell what to do with them both and seeing thouart too father like and not able to punish thy sonne thy ◅echerous sonne let vs chaunge roumes and let me be in t◅y place to reuenge thee with such like inuections he deceiued Herode though otherwise firme in his purpose Then Herode shewed him the bookes that Alexander had writ and reading euery chapter with deliberation Archelaus tooke occasion fit for his purpose and by little and little laid al the fault on Pheroras and those that were accused in the booke And perceiuing the king to giue eare vnto him let vs quoth he consider whether the young man was not circumuented by the trechery of so many lewde persens and not thou by the yong man for there appeares no cause why he should fall into such wickednes who now enioyed the kingdome and hoped to succeed thee therein had he not beene perswaded thereto by other men who seeing him a young man entised him vnto such naughtines For we see that through such men not onely young men but also olde men and most noble families yea and whole kingdomes are ruinated Herode vpon these speeches began somewhat to relent so that he appeased his wrath toward Alexāder encreased it towards Pheroras for he was as it were the subiect of the whole booke Who perceiuing the king so to trust vnto Archelaus friendship that he was lead by him to do what he pleased leauing Alexander he in humble manner came to Archelaus seeking impudently for succour at his hands of whom he had not deserued any fauour Archelaus answered him that he knew no waies to obtaine his pardon who was guiltie of so hainous crimes and conuicted manifestly to haue practised high treason against the kings owne person and to be the cause of all these miseries that had now befallen the young man except that he would lay aside all subtle dealing and denying of his fact and confesse the crimes wherof he was accused and so in humble wise go vnto his brother who loued him dearely and craue pardon promising him that if he would so do he would do him what good he could Hereupon Pheroras obeyed Archelaus his counsell and putting on a blacke attire he in pitifull maner and with teares prostrated himselfe at Herodes feete and crauing pardon obtained it confessing himselfe to be a most wicked and vile person and to be guiltie of al that which was obiected against him and that the cause which moued him to do al those things was the franticke and madde fits he fell into for the loue of that woman Now when Pheroras became his owne accuser a witnesse against himselfe then Archelaus endeuored to mitigate Herodes wrath towards him and excuse his faultes with fit examples for he alleaged that his brother attempted greater matters against him whom notwithstanding for natures cause he pardoned adding that in euery kingdome as in mightie bodies alwaies some part began to swell which notwithstanding was not presently to be cut off but to be cured by easie means Archelaus vsing many speeches vnto Herod to this purpose at last quite appeased his wrath toward Pheroras still counterfaiting himselfe to be angrie with Alexander affirming that he would take his daughter away with him till at last he forced Herode of his owne accord to entreat for the yong man requesting him again to despouse his daughter vnto him Archelaus after much entreatie answered that he was willing the king should bestow his daughter vpō any saue Alexander for he greatly esteemed the law of affinity Herod replied that if he did not diuorce his daughter from Alexander he should thinke that he bestowed his sonne vpon him for they had no children and his daughter was dearely loued of the young man so that if he would permit her to stay still there for her sake he would pardon all Alexanders offences Heereto Archelaus with much ado agreed and so was reconciled vnto his sonne in law and he vnto his father Yet Herode affirmed that he must needs be sent to Rome to speake with Caesar for he had written the whole matter vnto Caesar. Thus Archelaus craftily deliuered his sonne in law from daunger and after this reconciliation was made they spent the time in feasting and mirth Vpon Archelaus departure Herode gaue him seuentie talents and a throne of pure gold adorned with precious stones and Eunuches and a concubine named Pannychis and rewarded euery one of his
of the Israelites that were numbred Dauid hauing election of three sorts of punishment chose the plague A huge slaughter of those that died of the pastâ—…lence that was iâ—…flicted by God Dauid prayed for the innocent people A commaundement to â—…ld an Altar The yeare of the world 2930. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1034. Oronna the Iebusite supra lib. 7. ch 3 called Orphona Oronna giueth Dauid his floore The summe that was paied for the threshing floore The place of the Altar that was built Gen 22. Supra li. 1. ch 13 Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. The workmen allotted for the building of the Temple 1 Paral. 22. Dauid gathereth great store of iron brasse wood The building of Salomons Temple is commaunded Dauid counâ—…elleth Salomon â—…o honour God The yeare of the world 2930. before Christs Natiuity 1034. The treasure that was gathered towards the building of the Temple The assistants that Salomon had in building the teÌ„ple The commandement as touching the Arke and laying vp al other sacred vtensils within the Temple Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. Dauid groweth old and numbe Abisace warmeth him 3. Reg. 1. Adonias affecteth the kingdome The yeare of the world 2931. before Christ birth 1033. Bethsabe by NathaÌ„s perswa sion certifieth Daiud of Adonias vsurpatioÌ„ The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs Natiuitie 1033. The kingdome is confirmed to Salomon by an oth Salomon is annointed king and placed in his fathers throne Adonias for feare of the kings displeasure flieth from his banquet and taketh hold of the hornes of the Altar Dauid numbreth the Leuites and distribuith their offices 1. Paral 13. The diuision of the Priests into 24. kinreds 2. Paral. 24. The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs Natiuitie 1033. He deuided the Leuites into 24. parts Moses posteritie appointed to keepe the diuine treasure 1 Paral. 26. The army deuided into 12 parts 1. Paral. 27. Dauid assembling the gouernors of the tribes commendeth his son Salomon to theÌ„ 1. Paral. 28. Dauid giueth his sonne the modle of the Temple The princes of the people gaue a huge summe of gold siluer brasse precious stones towards the building of the Temple The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs birth 1033. 1 Par. 29. The â—…fices and â—…stiuall solemâ—…ed vpon Salomons coronation Hedio Ruffinus ch 16. 3. Reg. 2. Dauids last counsaile to Salomon Dauid willeth Salomon to punish Ioab Dauid coÌ„mendeth Berzillai sonnes to Salomon How Simei should be punished The yeares of the age and raigne togither with the vertues of Dauid The yeare of the world 2923 before Christs birth 10â—… The sumptuous sepulchre of Dauid Hircanus taâ—…th a huge summe of money out of Dauids tombe Herode spoyleth Dauids sepulcher The reare of the world 2931. before Christ birth 1033. 3. Reg. 2. Salomon king of Israel after Dauids death The yeare of the world 2931. before Christi Natiuitie 1033. Adonias requireth Abisace to wife Adonias is slaine Abiathar is dispossessed of the priesthood The genealogy of the high Priest Sadoc Ioab is slaine Banaia is substituted in his place The yeare of the world 29â—…1 before Christs Natiuitie 1033. Sadoc obtaineth Abiathars place in the Priesthood Simeies punishment and death Hedio Ruffinus chap. 2. 3. Reg 3. Salomon marieth the king of Egypts daughter and establisheth the kingdome God appeareth to Salomon by night in a dreame and willeth him to â—…ke that which most of all he desired Salomon requireth wisedome at Gods hands who with it giueth him riches and honours also The yeare of the world 2931. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1033. Two women accuse one an other for â—…chaunge of their children Salomon coÌ„mandeth both the children to be deuided into two parts Salomon by the speech and gesture of the women discouereth the true mother Salomons gouernours and captaines 3. Reg 4. The happy peace of the Israelites in Salomons time Salomons daily expences Salomons chariots and horsemen The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs Natiuity 1033. Salomons prudence and wisedome Salomons methode in coniuration whereby he cast out diuels The author in this place abuseth the giftes of God bestowed on Salomon in extending them to those artes which are sorbidden by the expresse word of God A Iew casteth out diuels Hirams embassadours to Salomon 3. Reg 5. Salomon requireth carpenters and workemen from Hiram Hiram promiseth Salomon wood and in steed thereof requireth corne The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs birth 1033. The truth of Iosephs history The king sendeth Hâ—… great quantity of wheat oyle and wine The order of the carpenters in Libanus The order of the malons and other workmen Hedio Ruffinus ch 9. 3. Reg. 6. When the building of the temple began The depth of the foundatioÌ„s of the temple The height length and breadth of the temple The porch before the teÌ„ple The cels which were builded in the circuit of the temple The beames and wals beautified with gold The yeare of the 〈◊〉 2933 before Christs birth 1031. Winding staires The temple deuided into two parts Two cherubims The pauement gates and all other things in the temple beautified with gold Salomon sendeth to Hiram for Vram a cunning workman 3. Reg. 7. A vessel called the brasen sea Ten brasen bases of the lauer Ten round lauers The yeare of the world 2933. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1031. The vse of the sea and the other ten lauers The Altar and vessels appertaining to the same The Table of sacâ—…ed bread The candlesticke The cuppes and vials The bowles The censors Priestâ—… garmeÌ„â—… Instruments of musicke The inclosure before the temple The Fanâ—… The huge treÌ„ches where in the foundation of the temple was laid filled Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4 3. Reg 8. Salomons temple was consecrated in the moneth of October The Arke is caried into the temple The yeare of the world 2941. before Christs Natiuity 1023. The Priests place the arke of God in the sanctuarie and in it the tables of stone wherin the tenne commaundements were written The candlesticke table and altar of gold The bâ—…asen altar A cloud in the tabeinacle Salomons praier vnto God Godimmeasurable The cause why the temple was builded God is true in his promises Salomons praier wherein he thanketh God for his benefits and beseecheth his future protection The yeare of the world 2941. before Christs Natiuitie 1023. Salomon humbly beleecheth God that he will protect this temple as his own house He prâ—…ieth that â—…angers may be heard aâ—… 〈◊〉 this place A 〈◊〉 from heauen consumeth Salomons sacrifies 3. Reg. 8. Salomon exhorteth the people to praise God and to giue him thanke and to pray vnto him 3. Reg. 8. Salomons sacrifices in the dedication of the Temple The feast of Tabernacles The king dismisseth the people 3. Reg. 9. God appeareth againe to Salomon and promiseth him all blessings if he swarued not from his fathers precepts A grieuous commination against the Israelites if they fall from the way