remedie wherefore calling the chiefe of the Priestes the Scribes of the people he asked them where Christ shoulde be borne for so was the prince called to shew that hee was annointed In Bethleem they answered of Iuda for in Galilie was an other cittie called Bethleem and was in the tribe of Zabulon according vnto the prophesie And thon Bethleem of Iuda art not the least among the chiefest cities of Iuda because out of thee shall come a guâ—de who shall gouerne my people Israell Herod being thus enstructed by the priestes of the prince he beganne to deuise the prince his destruction and hauing resolued how hee would preuent his misconstered fall he ranne into a greater follie he called the three kinges secretlie vnto him and learned of them what he could aswell concerning the starre as also their prophesies and whatsoeuer they coulde enforme him eyther by their owne skill or the traditions of their countrie which they coulde not want but rather haue in greate plentie where so many Iewes had liued and left a posterity and afterwarde sent them to enquire diligently where the prince was and requested them to bring him worde thereof that hee might also goe to adore him The princes set forward to finish a long iorneye for Ierusalem was at the least 1200. miles from Saba which was the seat of Iasper one of these three kings and no doubt Melchior and Balthasar for so were the other two named had their seates not far from thence for in those times within the compas of 20. miles dwelled commonly three or foure kings as in Palestina which for length or bredth seemed to little for one were 37. kinges so that they might without any great busines beginne this iorney together or without any great difficultie meet by chance in the way none knowing before of others intention and perchance this might bee the cause that all three brought of the same kind of presents which might haue been thought superfluous if they had in one companie begunne their iorney and the starre keeping his course toward the west might bee a guide vnto them all coÌ„ming from places in the east whiâ—h were not much distant one from the other but froÌ„ that part of Arabia as some say which was called Magodia whereupon these kinges were called Magi that is to say men of that country yet many think they were called Magi because they studied art Magicke and say that by their skill in this art they had vnderstanding of this prince his birth and who he was but it is not likelie that the prince of that arte had himselfe any such knowledge for there was as great reason to conceale the mysterie of this prince his birth as the mysterie of his conception others were also called Magi who liued in great abstinence and spent their liues in honest studies and of this sort perchance were these three kinges who knowing no naturall cause of the appearing of this starre remembred that extraordinarily a starre should appeare to shew the birth of a mighty prince in Iuda and when this starre appeared in so strange a sorte they perswaded themselues this was it which was foretold by Balaam in their countrie mounting vpon Dromedaries which are incomparaby swifâ—er then any horses in 13. dayes they came this long iorney guided by the same starre which now lastly shewing it selfe again vnto their no little ioy when they passed out of Ierusalem toward Bethleem it weÌ„t before them vntill it came to the place where the prince was and his mother and there it staide so low in the aire that the kinges neuer asked for the house in which they were and hauing ended his course which was no longer then the kinges ioruey for it went not round aboute the worlde as other starres planets or cometes vse to doe but kept his course in such order as when the kinges remoued the starre did also remoue and when they rested the starre did not stirre any further it was no longer seene eyther by them or by any other When these three kings entered into the caue they founde the childe and Mary his mother and falling downe they adored him and vnderstanding perchance of the custome among the Iewes that no man shold come empty handed in the presence of God each of them offered of their treasure thâ—â—e but the same presents golde mirrhe and frankensence acknowledging thereby that hee was a prince a mortall man yet a God or as some will a priest whose office it was to offer frankensence vnto God but being both God and man not onely a prince by defcent but also a Priest the frankensence could not without greate mystery bee offered vnto him whether it was in the one respect or the other yet it is more probable that it signâ—fied at that time that hee was God because his priesthood by which he offered sacrifice was not according vnto the order of Aaron who among other sacrifices offered also incense but according to the order of Melchisedech and was a farre more spirituall kind of priesthoode Beside that these three kings brought it to offer it themselues vnto him not that hee should offer it vnto an other That this infant was of the blood of the princes of Iudah is manifestly deducted by his pedegree from Dauid by the kings of Iudah vnto Ioseph the virgins husband for although the law permitted mariage betwixt the tribe of Iudah and Leui yet was it vnlawful for such as to whom their fathers inheritance did descend to marry with any other then the next of kinne in the same familie least that any confusion should grow in the possessions which were first giuen by portions vnto euery one of the 12. tribes and Ioachim the virgins father being knowne to bee of such substance as he liued onely vpon the thirde part of his yeerely reuenue and when he died to leaue his daughter Marie at the least a coheire with her sisters if she had any or sole heire if shee had none for Ioachim neuer had any male issue it is a good proofe according vnto the law mentioned that if Maries husband were of the familie of Dauid she was also of the same family Wherfore although that the yong prince tooke no flesh of Ioseph but only oâ— the virgin his petigree is sufficiently shewed by Iosephs for neuer was any petigree kept of women but of meâ— only Maidens prouing their petigrees by their fathers and wiues by their husbands But an other hystorie seeming to fetch Ioseph his petigree from king Dauid by other parents woulde make the former suspected were it not a law among the Iewes that the widow of the one brother should marry with the other or the next of kin if she had no children by the first and that the child of the second husband should bee accounted by the law the first husbaÌ„ds child although in nature it is the seconds for by this meanes a man might be said to be the son of two men
Mathathias tooke vpon him the name of a king neuer before vsed since their captiuitie in Babilon and dying without issue a yeere after hee beganne his raigne leaft his wife according to their lawes as well as his kingdome vnto his brother Alexander who had by her two sonnes the elder was named Hircanus who after his fathers decease during his mothers widowhood was high priest and after her death was also king of the Iewes the yonger who was called Aristobulus aspiring to the kingdome by force of armes made his elder brother to yeeld it vnto him and to content himselfe with the high priesthood which also not long after hee demaunded in like sort as he had demaunded the kingdome Wherefore Hircaâ—â— beeing too weake to resist his forces fledde for ayde vnto Pompey a noble Romane well experienced in wars and had alreadie beene a 〈◊〉 of many Kings who â—ay with a great armie at that time in 〈◊〉 a principall citie of Siria bordering vpon the north side of Palestina This did Hircaâ—â—s partly because not long before had beene a great league of friendship concluded and kept betwixt the Iewes and the Romanes and partly by the perswasion of one in some credite with him whose name was Anâ—ipater hee was no Iew but of Idumea or as some say of Ascalon one of the fiue Dutchies of the Philistins neere vnto the middle earth sea and some to one of those Idolatrous priests which belonged to Apollo or some other which kept his temple and was stolne away by the theeues of Idumea whence because his friends were either not able or not willing to redeeme him he remained vntill in the ende hee was one of their cheefe leaders and in a 〈◊〉 betwixt them and the Iewes taken prisoner but beeing found by Alexanderâ—ing â—ing of the Iewes to be both valiant and wiâ—e he was made gouernor of Idâ—mea in which office he behaued himselfe so well as the Arabians â—ought his friendship and to confirme it gaue him to wife a noble woman of their country named Cyprâ—s and for his sake were euer after readie to ayde the Iewes vntill some priuate quarrelles chanced to be betweene them and when hee returned againe to Palestina he alwaies fauoured Hircanus eldest sonne to Alexander and encouraged him to maintaine his right against Aristobulus his yonger brother Nicholas of Damascus who when neede was pleaded before Caesar for Herod and Arthelâ—â—â— laboured to shew that this Antipater was descended of the kings of Palestinâ— fetched his pedigree from the chiefest of those Iewes which returned after their captiâ—â—itie from Babilon but if Antipater or his children were the first which would seeke to gentilzie a base bloud Nicholas will not be the last which will find it Pompey hauing giuen Aristobulus the ouerthrow carryed him away captiue to Rome although hee restored Hircanus to his kingdome yet he made the Iewes tributarie to the Romanes left Antipater as a president ouer the countrey who because hee was in yeeres committed Galile which contained al the north end of Palestina vnto his sonne Herod and Iudea which contained all the South part vnto his sonne Phaselus himselfe ruling onely in Samaria which was the heart of the countrey which when Antigonus Aristoâ—â—lâ—s his sonne perceiued and conceiued small hope of any helpe from the Iewes to recouer the dignitie which his father lost he requested ayde of the Parthians who comming with a great power set vp Antigonus in Hircanus his rome and led away Hircanus prisoner also Phaselus but Antigonus to the end that Hircanus should neuer after be capable of the high preisthood disfigured him by cutting or biting off his eares and Phaselus hearing that his brother had escaped hoping that he would reuenge his death beate out his owne brains against a stone Antipater not long before was poysoned by Malchus a Iew and Herod escaping although verie hardly trauailed with great paine to Rome notwithstanding the time of the yeere was vnseasonable for so long a iourney where declaring vnto Augustus Caesar and vnto the Senate what had chanced in Palestina he was created in the capitoll king of the Iewes and returning with a great power of men after much bloudshed against Antigonus whom Antony Emperour of the East by an agreement made betwixt him and Augustus Emperour of the west against which Antony Tully thundred out in vain to his cost so many phillipics after he had whipped and crucified him caused to be heheaded and established Herod in the kingdom of the Iewes But although many were so besorted with Herod as to take him to be the Prince of which they had so many prophesies yet many others which see the seepâ—er â—ayle in Iudas his familie and knew that hee who was promised vnto them should not onelye come when the 〈◊〉 fayled but be also of that family and of Dauidâ— stocke expected dayly when he would shew himselfe and set them at libertie who liued vnder Herod in too much sauery but Marie and Ioseph kept al things most secret awaking themselues often with the consideration of this heaueÌ„ly misterie waiting the wished time of her happie deliuery And when the virgin had made prouision not such as princes commonly affect but such as their pouerty could conucnieÌ„thy afford she gaue her self wholy to the meditation of that which had 〈◊〉 ofteÌ„ broken her sleep without any trouble bereaued her of her senseâ— without any paine and poore Ioseph was as forward in will although he were not sâ— highly fauoured as his wife when suddenly did a speach arise which wrought in him an vnspeakable 〈◊〉 and would also haue amased her had she not beene well armed against all weather Augustus Caesar sole Emperour both in the East and West hauing ouercome Anthonie at Acâ—â—um in Greece as at other times before so now sendeth order to the Presidents of euerie pâ—ouince to gether the tribute due vnto him the maner wherof was in Palestina as it seemeth at that time to take the names of the people not where they dwelled but where was the portion of land alotted to the tribe of which they were and as neare as they could in the citie which principally belonged to that family which exquisite course of eâ—acting the tribute hath giuen a probable cause of suspition that this was the first description which was made of Palestina by cause afterward we read that one of the tribe of Iudah and of the familie of Daâ—id borne in 〈◊〉 belonging vnto the same tribe and familie and brought vp in a citie of Zabulon paied tribute in 〈◊〉 a Citie of Nepthalim But whether this were the first description of Palestina or no it is not materiall Ioseph being of the tribe of Iudah and of the family of Dauid was forced to depart from Nazareth toward his country there to giue vp his name and to pay the tribute demaunded which was ordinarily euerie fiue yeares for euery man two grotes sterling or foure groates as
as some say that in the eating what delicious meate soeuer the eater desired hee found the tast thereof in his mouth certaine it is that it was a most pleasant food and although it would not remaine aboue one day vncorrupted except onelie when they gathered to keepe for their Sabboath dayes victuall yet not without a speciall miracle it continued in this pot many hundred yeares Aaron his rod was here likewise kept which was set in the tabernacle with twelue other by the florishing of which his election to the Priesthood was manifested vnto the people and he preferred before the other twelue princes which stoode in contentiou with him In this Temple stoode also two other Cherubins of Oliue couered with gold 10. cubites high their winges spread in bredth euery one fiue cubits they looked both towarde the east on each side of the arke stoode one so that they filled the whole bredth of the Temple with their winges couered with them the toppe of the Arke The dores stoode alwaies open and before the entrance hong such a vaile as hung before the dores of the outmost Temple Foure hundred yeares and more continued this Temple in this glorie vntill Sedechias who was left king of the Iewes by Nabuchadonosor king of the Chaldees rebelled against him encouraged perchance by mistaking the Oracle that hee should neither be slain in fight nor see Babilon for which cause Nabuchadonoser pressing the Cittie with famine forced him his children with others to flie by night and vnderstanding so much afterward by his espials followed them and tooke them in the chase and when they were brought before him hee slew Sedechias his children in their Fathers sight then put out his eyes and led him captiue to Babilon whether before hee had carried Ioachim otherwise called Ieconias who was nephew to this Sedechias and king of the Iewes and had yeelded himselfe vnto Nabugodonosor The victorie obtained against Sedechias the Chaldees returned to Ierusalem and tooke the spoile of the Temple and afterward burned it down to the ground for which cause and other abuses offred by Nabuchodonosor and his childreÌ„ vnto those holy thinges which belonged vnto the Temple himselfe liued abroad seauen years amongst beasts eating nothing but what they eate nor hauing any other defence against hard weather then what they had and his grandchild in short time lost his life and left his kingdome to the Medes and Persians who setting the Iewes at libertie gaue them leaue to build their Temple againe but not in that ample maner as before it was being enformed by those who were bad neighbours to the Iewes that the maiesty and strength thereof would encourage them to reuolte from their obedience but neither had they been able to perform it if they might haue had licence hauing beene in captiuity seauenty yeares and spoiled of all their substance yet had they to helpe them vntil it was built thirty talentes yearely allowed them by king Darius whereof 20. were for the setting it vp and tenne for their sacrifice and all the vessels which were remaining of the spoile which Nabuchodonosor carried out of the first temple were restored vnto them Being this second time builte it continued aboue fiue hundred yeares but it was many times in danger of vtter ruine as by Alexander the greate king of Macedon who in his voiages in which he conquered all those east partes of the world came with a full resolution to spoile Ierusalem and the temple although at the sight of Iaddus the high Priest attired in his priestly ornaments he altered his purpose and allighted from his horse and worshipped him on his knees saying that in the same attire God appeared vnto him and encouraged him in his valourous enterprise It was also in daunger when Antiochus called Epiphanes did tyranize ouer them for they were oppressed sometime by one somtime by an other and in the end became subiect to the Romaines who were contented they shold obserue the rights of their law but appoynted Herod a stranger to bee their king yet was he much worse welcome then acquainted in the countrey for hee had borne office before in some part thereof vnder Antipâ—ter his father but hee was willing in what hee could to win them vnto him and for that cause hee circumcised himselfe and became a Iew in profession who was an Idumean by birth framed a new temple of square white stone some 25. cubits long some 4â— with breadth thicknes correspondent which appeared a farre off like vnto a mountain of snow where it was not couered with gold when it was al framed he pulled down the other set vp this for the Iewes would not suffer him to destroy the old temple vntill they see a new readie to bee erected in the place thereof which was so goodly a thing that it was reuerenced by the heauens for neuer fell any raine in the day time while men were at worke about it but onely in the night some small showres lest their worke should be hindered It was much bigger then was that which Salomon built for the people in time had enlarged the mountaine with earth which they raised 400. cubits high but Herod altogether obserued the same order in the temple the courts sauing that he enclosed one court round about the temple which was curiously paued with all manner of rich stone and compassed it with double walkes diuided with white marble pillars one stone in a pillar 25. cubits hie out of which were some gates opening toward euerie quarter In the east part hung such spoyles as the Iews had taken from barbarous nations dedicated vnto the temple where also Herod placed such as himselfe had taken from the Arabians but in the south side were the principall walkes for they were diuided with such pillars as the other were but where the other were double in this side they were triple and the middle much higher then the other two yet all made so stately as it was a wonder to behold them and into this court might any whosoeuer enter He made also the entrance out of one court into another with stayres for out of this court the Iewes did ascend fourteene steps round about the temple vnto a plaine which contained ten cubits in breadth from which they ascended againe fiue steps to come to the porch wherein were the gates by which they entred into their court which they called holy and into which no Gentiles might come vppon paine of death and because no man should pleade ignorance being deprehended past his limits this law was written both in Greeke and Latin and hung in a table at the foote of the lower stayres that all the Gentiles might reade it Euerie Alien which shall presume to enter into the holy place lette him die which lawe was so straightly obserued that the Romanes who were their rulers dared not to goe any farther then the first Court but neither could the Iewes enter into
it which were not pure according vnto their Lawes To this Court were foure gates in the North side and foure in the South side◠couered with siluer and gold as also the posts ouer the gates and on which they hung but two gates which stood in the East one right before the other farre exceeded them all by the first whereof entred both men and women into the porch and from thence by two priuate doores into the place allotted to thēselues this was called the great gate of the Temple by the other onely men vsually did enter into their Court and this gate was of brasse called brasse of Corinth a confused mettal of gold siluer and other mettals of which they of Corinth framed their Idols and with which they adorned their temples melted altogether when the Romanes tooke the Citie and burnt it downe to the ground This gate for the woorth and curious workmanship aboue the rest was called the beautifull gate and was so great that 20. men could hardly shut it To this gate the men ascended by fifteene steps and entred into their court which was diuided from the court where the Priestes offred sacrifice as in the first Temple but although it were not lawfull for the women to passe through the beautifull gate yet they might come vnto it to deliuer vp what they offered Heere did Ioachim deliuer vp his charge and dedicate his childe to the seruice of God and Anna his wife was not a little proude when shee had wherewith to performe her promise wherefore with no lesse ioy then Ioachim shee fulfilled her vow and made a present vnto God of the first fruits of her wombe for many places were prepared in the Temple for such purpose seuerall from the Priests and Leuits who lay there while they performed theyr weekely function for whome during the time it was not lawfull to drinke any wine nor accompanie with their wiues much lesse might they bee in continuall daunger of committing sinne such puritie and sobrietie was required of those which ministred at theyr altar and in those places liued many both young maidens and graue matrons such no doubt as hauing forsaken the world and the pride thereof continued at the doore of the tabernacle before the Temple was built in fasting and prayer yet was this difference among them that the yonger sort might after their religious education bee giuen in marriage by the Priestes according to the accustomed manner but the elder women continued there vntill theyr dying day as appeareth by Anna the daughter of Phanuel It is manifest also that those places were not open indifferently to all commers because that Iosabe wife vnto Ioiada the high Priest and sister vnto Ochesias king of the Iewes stole away Ioas who was sonne to Ochesias and hidde him and his nurse for as yet hee was an infant sixe yeeres in the Temple lest that Athalia Ochesias his mother should also murther him as shee had many of the kings linage because shee would both bee sole Queene and rule the more securely But now the tēple is not a secret receptacle for Ioas who after should bee king of the Iewes but it is a stately habitacle for Marie who afterward should be the mother of God and therefore inferiour to none who was no better then a creature Both censors and sents altars and sacrifice golde siluer and setim and whatsoeuer was valued precious in the Temple was nothing woorth in comparison of this virgin A person worthie so noble a house and a most rich house enriched by the presence of so noble a personage A common thing it was among the Iewes to lay vp in their temple in a dangerous times their chiefest Iewels but now the temple is become Gods chiefest treasure-house and a defence for a more sacred temple That temple was built by Salomon and this by a greater then Salomon that was dayly ransacked yea and sometime raised to the earth This dayly rose vntill it reached aboue the heauens The treasure of that was such as it allured men to vice but the treasure of this was such as it prouoked all to vertue And it was so much more excellent in all poynts then the temple of Salomon by how much it is a more worthy thing to be Gods mother then his manour although also she wanted not this title of honour which euery faithfull soule is sayd to haue when it is called Gods temple for being pronounced full of grace no doubt she was accounted also the chiefest of Gods temples in that degtee In that temple was the arke wherin were kept the tables of the law which God deliuered to Moses but she was temple and arke wherein was the Law giuer himselfe to bee included There also was kept part of that Manna which fed the Israelites in the desart but now is she presented in the temple who was to keepe a bread of so much more perfection As Manna was but a shadow of bread in comparison of it and to counteruaile Aaron his rod a rod of more fauour then was that which King Ahasuerus held out to Queene Hester and which hath giuen more incouragement to demaund whatsoeuer wee want and hope to obtaine it She remained in the temple vntill shee was fourteene yeares of age in praier and meditation carrying as much lowlines in her mind as chastitie in her thoughts neuer lesse idle then when she was alone and yet neuer weary of her company for in that she seemed afterward to be troubled onely at the angels maner of salutation it appeareth she was as well acquainted with such a presence as others to whome as infallible true hystories affirme it was nothing so dainty as now to vs to see an angel otherwise no doubt he had manifested himselfe vnto her as before he had done elsewhere when he told Zacharias that he was Gabriel and one of those which stoode continually before God Nowe began the Priestes to thinke vpon the bestowing her but they could not thinke on any whō they iudged worthie to match with her shee made them acquainted with her vow to remaine perpetually a virgin and they were afraid to put her in daunger of breaking it The Scribes who were interpreters of the lawe and other of the same sect but of more subtile learning and therfore also differing from them in name and were called Pharisies vowed many times virginitie or chastitie for certaine yeares which they obserued most strictly and for that purpose as at all other times so especially at these they neither tooke much ease nor eate much meate but day and night applied themselues wholy to prayer Also some of the Esseni which were diuided into foure sects liued all their life time virgins but neuer vntil this time did any of the other sexe professe such a kinde of life which troubled the Priestes the more yet in the ende being resolued by diuine inspiration to bestow her they found out one of the same tribe of which shee was
king Dauids messenger when hee sent to demaund her consent vnto him in marriage shee sayde vnto this Prince Embassadour Behold the handmaid of my Lord bee it done to me according to thy word Her consent obtained the Embassadour gaue her a farewell mixed with such ioy and reuerence as if hee had beene loth to detract time to be gone with so great good newes and yet could not but stay a while to doe his dutie but being of that agility that hee could passe so much space in a moment as is betwixt heauen and earth dispatched himselfe wirh that speede that in a trice hee both encreased a ioy in the place where hee was began another in the place from whence hee came Whereupon Loue who is impatient of delaye caused him from whom as well as from his father proceed infinit loue with all his might to pursue this matter the wole Trinitie working miraculously in the wombe of the Virgin gathering of her most pure bloud together framed therof in one instant a perfect body no sooner could that body enioy the soule which was created for it then the emperor his son vnited the whole vnto him a work as worthy praise as wonder so wonderful as reason hauing tyeâ—d it selfe in discourse of this worke leaueth off beginneth to do nothing but wonder for which cause one among the rest being wearied with ouer much musing began to refresh himselfe a little with his Muses In this maner Whom earth the sea the heauens doe worship praise adore King of this threefolde frame the wombe of Marie bore To whom Moone sunne and all do seruice in their turnes Chast bowels be are with fall of grace which from heauen comes Blessed such a mother within whose wombe is closde Her heauenly maker holding from being losde With ease the world and blest for that she had receiude By angels mouth addrest a message she belieude That she conceiuing by the helpe of holy Ghost He should within her lie Whom Gentils wished most But although others lost themselues in the consideration of this diuine mysterie the Virgin no doubt was so perfectly instructed in it that shee sound as much knowledge as she had felt comfort and her comfort was the more because her knowledge was so great and remembring that the higher shee was in calling the more lowly best beseemed her to bee in her carriage shee did alwayes with most humble thoughts attend vpon high conceits neither thinking at any time too well of herselfe for that shee should mother so worthy a prince nor yet so vnwary as to giue any cause why from thence forth hee should disdaine her to bee his mother Among other her comforts she remembred what the Embassador had said vnto her of her cosen Elizabeth whome before shee loued but now she longed to see and if the wayes presented themselues in her imagination very long her desire looked to bee preferred which was in heart also very great and the time of the yeare being both fit and pleasant to trauel in enuited her ernestly to the iorney to a citie called Hebron in the mountaines of Iuda liing southward from Ierusalem 22. miles one of the most famous cities in Palestina for antiquitie and of greatest renown because it was sometime the kings seat The inhabitants of this place were sometime such men or rather monsters as neither eye coulde without horrour beholde nor eare without feare heare speake here was Dauid who slew Goliah the Giant in a single combat with his sling annointed king and ruled all Israell by the space of seauen yeares a place also for this cause had in reuerence by all the worlde for that Adam the first parent of all mankind here is said to haue forsooke the world here also was Iacob the great Patriarke buried his father Isaack who was miraculously in this place coÌ„ceiued by Sara when shee was by natures course past childbearing from hence Abraham issued with 318. of his men and ioyned with him the 3. brethreÌ„ maÌ„bre who gaue name to the valley ioyning vnto it Aner and Escoll pursuing 4. kings conquerors ouerthrew them neare vnto mount Libanus and broght back all the spoile which they had taken out of the richest part of the country and was here also afterward buried A place notoriously 〈◊〉 froÌ„ the beginning of the world with an oak which continued there 400. years after the incarnation of the young prince we spake of it was one of the 46. cities which were allotted vnto the priests to dwel in Hether hastened the virgin if not so well accompayned as noble welthie parents could send their only daughter aswel for her gard as theit own credite yet neither was it likely she wold caresly of her selfe haue strayed so far alone nor her parents suffer her to go without some company being so far froÌ„ the basest blood in Palestina as they were of the best none of the poorest who coulde spare vnto the temple one third part of what they had an other to relieue the poore but her chiefest gard was inuisible and therefore it was inuincible for if euer any princes with child trauelling was choisely attended on least any hurt should befal vnto her or vnto that shee wente with much more was shee and euery thing so well ordered as she neither felt any inconuenience in long vneasie wayes being a yong maiden nor found any 〈◊〉 in her iorney by her burden being lately become a mother for it is not to be thoght that he which came to bring ease for his enemies would breede any paine in his best friendes But no sooner had shee set fooâ—e into her cosens house and saluted her but the child within her cosens wombe be wrayed who shee was and Elizabeth by diuine instinct cried out with a loud voice beginning where the Prince Embassador had ended his salutation and saide vnto her Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe whence is this to mee that the mother of my Lord doth come vnto mee for beholde as the voice of thy salutation sounded in myne eares the infant in my wombe did leape for ioy blessed art thou which didst belieue because those things shall be accomplished which were spoken vnto thee by our Lord. The sunne although it appeare vnto vs to bee in a cloude because there is a cloude betwixt it and vs is not altogether depriued of his power but giueth some light and by his light life where it lighteth and the sonne of iustice hauing builte his glorious throne in the wombe of a virgin where hee did as it were ascend vppon a thinne cloude shall he lease his vertue and not rather worke not of any necessitie as a natural cause of such like qualited effects but voluntarilie as a liberal and free agent of supernaturall graces How may wee thinke woulde hee draw vnto him if hee were once exalted who drewe so mightilie being imprisoned for
Elizabeth whose time was at hande was somewhat comforted and the blessed virgin when shee espied her sonnes harbinger was the more contented the one seeing her ioy present the other knowing hers not to bee farre distant For although some do doubt whether she staid her coosens deliuerie because it was the custome that Maydens shoulde not bee present at womens labours yet the house contayning more roomes then one woulde affoorde her another vntill her Coosen were deliuered and it is not likely shee woulde take so long a iourney stay there so long and then leaue her kinswoman whome shee so entirely effected when she shoulde haue most need of her comfort as being in labour in her olde age with her first childe whose worthinesse was such as his father not beleeuing it was bereaued of the vse of his tongue he by her presence sanctified in his mothers wombe and in whose natiuitie it was foretolde by the Oracle that not onely his parents but many other also shoulde reioyce And although a diuine Hystorie dooth mention the Virgins departure before it mentioneth Elizabeths trauaile yet dooth it not say it was before her trauaile And a festiuall day beeing celebrated in remembraunce of this visitation the morrowe after the Circumcision of the childe wee may probalye thinke shee stayed there vntill that tyme comforting the olde couple with her companie and delighting hir selfe with her young Coosen who had as great affiaunce with her by spirituall giftes as hee had by carnall generation And if wee should allowe her but a fewe dayes to thinke vppon that which the Angell sayde vnto her which was a matter not lightly to bee considered on as also to obtaine leaue of her parents to goe vnto her Coosen and to prepare her selfe for her iourney she coâ—ld not stay there three moneths and go away before her coosen was deliuered No Ladies title was here giuen vnto her much lesse the honour due to any princesse Shee gloryed more in beeing an humble Coosen among her kinsfolke then in her chiefest calling among the Angels and being mother to the greatest prince in the worlde she famed her selfe at this downe lying of her coosen as a most venerable writer affirmeth to be seruiceable vnto his seruantes The day came in which the child should be circuÌ„cised a ceremonie prescribed vnto the Iews to distinguish theÌ„ from al the world except the Israelites otherwise callen Saracens a people which ranged in the Desart of Pharan for these did circumcise themselues and the Arabians which descended of them but not vntill they were thirteene yeeres of age because that Ismael was so olde when he was circumcised And in this they differ from the Iewes who descending from Isaac did circumcise their children the eight day after their natiuitie as Isaac was and as their lawe commaunded vnder paine of death which penaltie was perchaunce onely to terrifie the parents as it seemeth for during the time they were in the Desart none were circumcised which no doubt was through exceeding great negligence for infants of 8. dayes old did aske little attendaunce more when they were circumcysed then otherwise also when Moses was going from God vnto Pharao to bring the Israelites out of Egypt an Angell appeared vnto him and his wife in their Inne making proffer to kill him because one of his sonnes much elder which hee had there with him was not circumcised at what time sodainely Sephorâ— his wife daughter to Iethro the Medianite tooke vp a sharpe stone which lay by her as the next instrument for such a purpose and cut off the superfluous skin of her sons priuie members after which done the Angell departed and this maner of circumcising with a stone endured euer after among the Iewes great paine no doubt to little infants and no great pleasure to such as at riper yeeres were circumcised for it was lawfull for any to bee circumcised who would and afterward to bee accounted in some sort as a Iew but distinguished by the name of a Proselite that is one who passed from one Religion to another and because there should be no confusion of families by this cohabitation of Iewes and Proselites a verie exact order was obserued in keeping euerie mans pedigree both in publike offices and priuate mens houses vntill the first Herod which was king of the Iews to this end that there should bee no knowledge of the nobilitie from others because himselfe came of a base house and was no Iew borne called for all those pedigrees and burned theÌ„ so that neuer after was any kept publikely as before but onely with priuate families such as had them alwayes in theyr owne keeping before Herod was King Abraham the great Patriarch the Iewes glorie Gods especiall friend and worshipper liuing vnder the law of nature when hee was an hundred yeeres of age by order giuen him from heauen circumcised himselfe first and all his familie and from him as the first father of circumcision descended this ceremonie vnto all his posteritie and because at that time that hee was commaunded to circumcised himselfe God changed his name from Abram to Abraham the Iewes also vsed at that time to take their names by which euer after they should bee called obseruing this custome in euery familie and kindred that their children should either beare the fathers name or of some other their kinsmen which at this present bredde a mutinie among a menye which came to Zacharias his house eyther for kindred neighbourhood or wonders sake but the greater part would haue had the childe named Zacharias as his Father was against which Elizabeth beeing before instructed eyther by her husband or some heauenly spirite exclaymed saying His name should bee Iohn to which the companie replyed that none of her kindred were so called and therewith they made signes to Zacharias to end this controuersie who making signes to them againe for writing tables and receiuing them writ in this manner Iohn is his name and immediately feeling his tongue at his often wished for libertie as if hee had beene nine moneths busied 〈◊〉 setting a 〈◊〉 vnto a diâ—tie which contayned many worthy misteries as comfortable words he beganne to prayse God and prophesie of his yong sonne with this canticle Blessed be our Lord God of Israel Who visiting his folke redeemed them And hath erect for vs an horne of health Of holy Dauid his childs royall stemme As long before himselfe by others told Who sacred Prophets euer counted were Health from our foes to whom our sins vs fold And from their hands who did vs hatred beare To shew his mercie vnto our fathers And call vnto his mind his holy will An oath sworne to Abraham we without feares Freed from our enemies should serue him still In holines and iustice all our dayes Before his face and thou child a Prophet Shalt called be of the most high whose wayes Shall bee to make his paths before him straight To giue his folke knowledge of their safetie By
some say beside what 〈◊〉 ordinarie taxes were sometime exacted by the Emperour as his treasure wasted And most gladly would Ioseph at this time haue doubled the tax that he might haue stayed at Nazareth for Winter being but half gone and therefore at the sharpest and the virgin almost all gone out her time and therefore at the biggest it did not onely moue him to extreame melancholie but menaced also an irreparable miserie for Ioseph pitying as hee loued and louing without limit pitie caused that in him which because he enioyed his loue loue could not so that now he began to languish with thinking that she whom he so intirely loued should be subiect to so perilous an accident as not hauing many daies to reckon to her deliuerie she should be compelled to trauaile no few dayes iourney But shee who was alway aswell fraught with ioy as she was full of grace and assured that neither foule weather could wrong her nor long waies weary her to doe her any harme hauing him in her wombe who was to commaund both the earth and the heauens comforted her husbande in such sort as she both acquieted his minde and quickned againe his spirits that now he beganne to haue an assured hope hee should bring her happily to the ende of a hard iourney in which after that he had once set forward hee wayted more vpon her lookes then he looked vnto his owne wayes more then necessarie care commanded him for her easier trauaile thinking not any thing did more then dutie which either exhibited that which might ease her or prohibited that which might displease her Three dayes iourney was Nazareth from Hierâ—salem but all circumstances considered very likelie they made it aboue foure from whence they went to Bethleem for although that Hierusalem were the chiefe Citie and all the kings were of the tribe of Iuda after king Saul yet was Hierusalem in that portion of land which fell by lot to Benâ—amin Bethleem was a Citie sixe miles south from Hierusalem possessed by Caleb at the Iewes first entrance into Palestina he was a prince of the tribe of Iuda and one of the twelue Princes sent by Moyses from the desart to take view of Palestina and also one of the two which brought all glad tydings to enconragâ—â— the people wherefore he onely and Iosâ—â—e who was the other of all the Iewes who were aboue twentie yeeres of age when these two returned backe to Moyses entred into this land the rest being all dead in the wildernes for murmuring against God who had promised to bring them thither It was also the more famous for one called Abessan who liued in the time that the people were gouerned by Iudges himself was iudge 7. yeeres he married froÌ„ thence out of his house 30. daughters tooke home vnto him 30. wiues for his 30. sons This Citie was sometime called Ephrada and the whole countrey about it as some doe say because that Ephradâ— Caleb his wife was there buried but others doe shew that it was so called in Iacob the patriarch his time and it kept that name vntill a great plentie of corne came after that dearth which caused Noenn and her husband and houshold to goe and dwell in the countrie of the Moabites and after this plentifull time it beganne to bee called Bethleem which is as much to say as the house of bread but when as that king Dauid was their annoynted king of the Iewes for there was he first annoynted by Samuel and because he was there borne and brought vp as also his father grandfather and other his ancestors it was called after his name as the worthiest of them all the Citie of Dauid The soyleround about it was comparable vnto the most fruitfull part of Palestina the Citie stood vpon the top of a reasonable high hill which what it lacked in breadth it had in length the going vppe vnto it was only on the west side and that not werie easie because it was somewhat steepe Hither came Ioseph aâ—d Mary not so welcome as wearie yet not so hardly vsed as they were well contented they enquired from one end of the Citie to the other neither for loue nor mony could they bee entertained euerie house perchance in the Citie hauing some guest might also haue some colour for their discurtesie but any little corner in a house at such a pinch could not but haue beene accounted great hospitalltie they looked not for the best they sought a meane host but the verie worst cottage would not bee opened vnto them this fauour onely did they finde that being come in at the one gate they might without any trouble goe out at the other where by good fortune nature wrought that in beasts which nurture could not work in men A yong womaÌ„ tired with trauel for in mans conceit it had beene more fit to haue been with hir midwife in some house then to be wandering in the streets with her husband moued people to so little piâ—tie as the beastes were thereof ashamed and freely gaue them such house-roome as themselues enioied for not farre from the East gate of the Citie was an hollow place in a rocke either by nature or art made fit for the receite of cattell wherein was a maunger where stoode an Oxe and an Asse and into this rocke entered the wearied couple in the coldest time of Winter where they neither had other companie nor comfort then is alreadie shewed no bed was made to ease them no boord was spred to refresh them Some little what did poore Ioseph prouide in the towne to vittail theÌ„ and somwhat perchaunce had he from the beasts to lay vnder them he got some light that they might see aswel as feele what they wanted And when they perceiued the incoÌ„ueniencie of the place to be such as they knew not where to make any little fire they resolued themselues that patience and contentment must be their best fare with which after they had spent halfe the night and the virgin perceiued her houre was come to be deliuered she applied her self vnto her wonted deuotions Ioseph being warned thereof hastened to make ready such cloutes as he brought with him when in a moment did he appeare in the world who was before all worldes and his mother taking him in hiâ— armes swadled him in as good order as either her skill or her clothes would suffer her and laide him in the maunger betwixt the Oxe the Asse who with their breath qualified the coldnesse of the aire round about him her selfe also being readie to comfort him what she could least that he should suffer any inconuenience by taking cold Wonder O ye heauens be astonished O earth he who was prince both of heauen and earth seemeth to haue forsaken heauen to lyue in earth Was it euer heard since the beginning of the world that one of such a nature as neither any sense could discerne any portraiture nor any science discouer his least
maidenly chastitie and that at one and the selfe same time she was both a pure virgine and a perfect mother And thou diuine Ladie most happie of all to be his mother who was thy maker O how well did those wordes of the Angell fit thee when hee said thou wert ful of grace being presently to be fraught with God Behold now thy sweet infant borne into the world who was nine monethes borne in thy wombe Looke where hee lyeth for whose sight thou hast so much longed embrace him at libertie in thine armes whom thou haddest imprisoned in thy bowels O how well did he prouide for thy comfort who picked out so solitarie a place where thou wert not likely to haue much companie that thou mightest haue thy fill in looking on him embracing him and kissing him whom although thou seest lie crying in the manger thou knewest hee was thy Lord and maker and no lesse admirable in the sight of Angels then amiable in thine Thou neither needest to rise by night nor yet to range by day to seeke whom thy soule doeth loue nor to aske of any watchman whether they did see him for they which came through the citie vnto thee at night would without any demanding demonstrate vnto thee where thy loue did lie He sought thee he found thee he tooke such hold of thee as hee meaneth still to haue thee thy lappe must bee his board thy bosome his bed and betwixt thy breasts doth he resolue to build his nest Pouertie much hated by others ought to bee honoured by thee for that this meane estate hath brought thee more profite then could a princely port O happie want which compelleth thee vnto thy harts wish for now that he hath not where els to lie thy lest arme must be a boster vnder his head and thy right arme a border round about his bodie Now that hee hath not where els to liue thy cottage must bee his court thy company his comfort He is the center of thy thoughtes about which they rowle He is the loadstone of thine eies from which they cannot roue He is the rocke against which thy speeches breake driuen by a violent passion he is the rest which thy thoughts best brooke diuided by a new affection the which are as often supplyed by teares as thy wordes by them being neither able to speake that which thou couldest nor to thinke that which thou wouldest for thou wert both ouertaken in thy wordes with thine owne gladnesse and ouercharged in thy thoughtes with thy sonnes greatnesse yet speake what thou mayest thinke that which thou mayest not speake and in the ende let thy loue-teares witnesse that thou art as farre vnable to vtter thy thoughts as thou art from thinking the vttermost Proceed then blessed virgin to embrace thy princely babe presse him in thy bosome who hath pierst thy breast let him neuer passe from thy hand who hath possessed thy heart but seeing hee being thy Lord hath taken on him the person of a child and vouchsafed to be thy sonne thou being his maiden feare not to vse both the priuiledges of a nurse and the preheminence of a mother But O most sacred babe heauens blisse helles bane worthie of all praise because the worker of our peace shall wee congratulate thy comming into the worlde or grieue that thou art become so short a word the largest heauens were lately to little for thee and now a little hole can do more then lodge thee A short word but a sweet worth more of thine owne desire then of our desert for if thine owne loue driue thee it was thy goodnes if ours drew thee it was thy gift But tell vs sweet babe in whome affection hath fully supplyed the defect of thy tongue as yet an instrument onely of a lamentable sound as thine eyes were fountaines of sorrowfull teares tell vs why hast thou loosed from the right hande of Maiestie to arriue in a restlesse hauen of miserie Was it to recouer againe the right which once was passed by thee and inrolled in a most faythfull record The heauen of heauens to the Lorde but the earth hee hath giuen to the sonnes of men and therefore wouldest thou of an omnipotent God become an impotent man yea and contented to bee accounted and that in scome king of the Iewes who wert the true king both of the Iewes and of the Gentiles or rather was it to right the wrong done vnto the Ladie whō thy father adopted to his daughter thou tookest for thy sister and to redeeme her from her vnmercifull conquerour who had bereft her of her matchlesse beautie and whatsoeuer else nature and grace could bestow vpon her importunated other by her suit or rather inchaunted by thy selfe thy loue towarde her being without limit and her losse of thee being infinite Tell vs sweete babe who arte an eternall worde although nowe too young to speake tell vs what caused thee to descende from thine vnspeakeable dignitie in which thou wert the onely food of Angels vnto an irreparable infamie because thou art nowe become the meate of beastes for as an infallible truth hath reuealed vnto vs. All flesh is grasse and grasse is beasts feeding In my bedde by night I sought whom I loued I sought her but I could not find her Inough sweet babe since that loue hath no higher cause all this thou diddest because thou diddest loue 〈◊〉 thou diddest loue because thou diddest Well do I conceiue thee to haue beene in thy bed that is at thy quietest repose but what nightes were those where we supposed to haue bin one continuall day or what darkenes could grieue thee who art the brightnes of thy fathers glorie Care which contrarie to the nature thereof made thee looke many thousande yeeres yonger then thou art did perchaunce contrarie also to the nature of the place seeme to bring a night where the Sunne neuer vsed to goe downe or cause thee to bee hidden in a cloude who art the light of heauen that not without some cause thou mayest say in the night in thy bedde tho◠soughtest whom thou louedst but what when thou couldest not find her in thy bed I will rise and go round about the Citie through the streetes and open places will I seeke whome I loue I sought her but I could not find her But what among all those glorious companie couldest thou not finde thy loue If heauen bee not woorthie to holde thy loue howe shall the earth yeelde her vnto thee But it seemeth by thine intended course that hell it selfe shall not escape thy search But when thou couldest not finde her in the Citie The watch found me which kept the Citie sawe yee whom my soule doth loue And when I had a little passed them I founde whome I loued I helde her and will not let her goe vntill I haue brought her into my mothers house and into her chamber who bred me O worthie Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem for whome did yee watch Or
long after it was blowne abroad that such a prince was borne and princes hastened to do their homage An old prophesie was in Arabia that a starre should rise in Iacob and a rod spring in Israel which should both strike the princes of Moab and destroy the sonnes of Seth with many other so great prerogatiues that the prophet sighed to thinke hee should not liue to see it and the king of Moab was frighted fearing that hee had liued to feele it for the Israelites comming out of the desart of Pharan towarde Palestina encamped themselues neere vnto the riuer Iordan so strongly in middle of the Moabites that Balaac the king of Moab had better courage to fight against them with shrewde wordes then with sharpe weapons and therefore vnderstanding that in Mesopotamia was one who did so forspeake people as they neuer after prospered sent speedily vnto him to come and curse the Israelites but Balaam so was the southâ—ayer called being taught before by diuine inspirations when he came to the top of the mountaine from whence Balaac shewed him the Israelites performed what God and the angell had enformed him and to the great preiudise of Balaac king of the Moabites hee pronounced many blessinges ouer the Israelites and prophesied of this yong prince as is before shewed Hereupon Makida the Queene of Sâ—ba Ethiopia Egâ—pt vnderstanding of Salomon his wisdome wealth worthines large dominions came with exceeding great pompe vnto Ierusalem to see him and presented him with 120. talents of gold many iewels and infinite store of frankencense being perswaded that he was the man who was meant by the prophesie in Arabia for Saba was a prouince in the south side of Arabia and tooke the name of Saba grand-child vnto Abraham by Iecsan whom Abraham had by Caethura as also Madian father vnto Epha and others whom he sent away out of Chanaan afterward called Palestina into the East countries as also he sent Ismael whom hee had by Agar southward not suffering any of them to haue part with Isaac in the lande promised vnto him yet did he not send them away emptie handed but bestowed vpon them great riches apparell and iewels which he had taken from the foure kings whom hee conquered in the rescue of his nephew Lot among which giftes some write that Abraham gaue vnto them mirrhe and frankencense not without some misterie then knowne vnto him and now openly shewed by three princes which came out of the East parts at this time vnto Bethleem of Iuda which iourney they did the more willingly take because probablie their ancestors were also Iewes for the Queene of Saba among other great fauours which she receiued of king Salomon was accepted for his wife and returned into her countrey with childe and carried with her twelue thousand Iewes of euerie tribe one thousand and did them that honor that after a while the chiefest in the countrey vaunted that their fathers were Iewes and â—he sonne which she had by Salomon she crowned king surrendering all her dominions vnto him and of that stocke vnto this day as some say remayneth the great monarch of those coastes commonly called Priest Iohn But the principall motiue of these three kinges their voyage was the sight of a starre which did penetrate so farre into their vnderstanding that by that extraordinarie light and what they had by the prophesie they resolued that the prince was now at the last borne of which had beene so great expectation for although they were men of great learning yet could not their skill attaine to the perfect meaning of the star which appeared vnto them without farther helpe then they could haue by Astronomie wonder they might to see so neere vnto them so bright a shining starre because it was much lower then where exhalations fiered doe appeare blasing like starres and comparable with the Sunne for brightnesse as it receyued no light from the Sunne as other starres doe so neyther did the brightnesse of the sunne drowne the clearnesse thereof as it doeth of other starres where it selfe doth shine and the greater might their wonder bee because that all such tokens as were commonly in all other extraordinarie starres or commets to signifie eyther diseases or death were so farre from this starre that it betokened nothing but health and life and that the authour of life had taken vpon him a new kind of life although perchance in some secondarie sort it might also pretend the death of the prince whose life it shewed as may appeare by some of the presentes which the kinges brought who were both warned by this starre to seeke him and warranted to finde him out yet was it no Angell as many haue thought but a starre as much superior to other starres in brightnesse as inferior in bignesse made of some former matter or created of nothing by him to whome all thinges are possible and afterward eyther resolued into that of which it was made or if created for this purpose the cause thereof ceasing the effect came againe to nothing but it kept such a course as the kinges following it were no more subiect to bee deceiued of their purpose then were the Israelites when trauelling from Egipt vnto the lande of promisse they were guided by a cloude which alway went before them in the daye time and a fierie pillar in the night for the starre neuer ceased to shine but to their greater light nor to conduct them but to their greater comfort wherefore not without the prouidence of the stars guide they entred Ierusalem where they were both confirmed in the truth of their former prophesie and comforted with the shortnes of their following iorney but not without the amasing both of Herod and all the cittie because the last thing which the Iewes had done was an oath sworne to accept Herod for their king which althougb hee had laboured both with curtesie and with crueltie for the space of thirty years little more or lesse hee neuer obtained it of the whole countrie vntill this time The three princes as soon as they came into the cittie demaunded boldely what they doubted not euery man knew a kinges seate fitting best a princes birth and such a birth being commonly celebrated with a publike triumph they demaunded for him by his title not knowing as yet his name where is hee who is borne king of the Iewes wee see his starre in the East and are come with presentes to adore him was it then any wonder that Herod was troubled who wrongfully entered into the soueraigntie and the Iewes touched deepelie who had rashly sworne themselues his subiectes the one hauing iust cause to feare that he should be put down as a tyrant and the others no hope but to bee punished as traytors and although Herod coulde haue beene very well contented neuer to haue heard any thing more concerning this matter yet feare in the ende first encreased a desire to know the rest then to deuise some mischiefe fot a
of one by nature and of another by the law Hereof Ioseph is said in one petigree to bee the son of Iacob and in another petigree the son of Hely as being the naturall son of Iacob and called the son of Hely because Iacob had hâ—m by Helies wife whom Hely left a widow and without any children for Hely and Iacob were brethren of one wombe although of diuerse fathers that is to say of Mathaâ— who was father vnto Iacob and Mathat who was father vnto Hely But although it be most true that the yong prince did descend of the princes of the Iewes and that he was of the familie of Dauid yet these petigrees of Ioseph proue nothing but that the prince his mother was of the tribe of Iuda because Ioseph who in these petigrees is proued to be of that name did espouse her it being a thing vnlawful among the Iewes that any shuld match but in their own tribe but neither doth this proue that this prince was of the tribe of Iuda because notwithstanding diuerse tribes should not ioyne togither in mariage the tribe of Iuda and Leui might and therefore the the proofe that Ioseph was of the tribe of Iuda and of the family of Dauid sheweth notâ—â—ng for the yong prince but that hee did by his mother discend either of the tribe of Iuda or of the tribe of Leuy For this cause many take the seconde petigree for the petigree not of Ioseph but of the yong prince by his mothers auncesters Thus beginneth that petigree Iesus was entring into his 30. yeare who was thought to be the son of Iâ—seph who was the sonne of Hely that is to say Iesus was accounted the sonne of Ioseph but he was the sonne of Hely by Mary daughter to Hely otherwise called Heliachim or Ioacâ—im for all is one name among the Iewes and although by this account the Prince should haue but one King among his auncesters yet hee had manie absolute Princes and gouernours of the people descending from Zorobabel vnto Iamnes otherwise called Ioannes Hircanus who not brooking the miserie in which hee and his people lyued through the oppression of the Syrians at the beginning of Antiochus Epiphanes his raigne who forced them to doe manie thinges agaynst their lawes slewe himselfe for which fact all his wealth was confiâ—cate which was a cause that the familie of Dauid liued afterwarde somewhat obscurely But in these petigrees appeareth a verie intricate difficultie For if Salathiell and Zorobabel mencioned in the seconde petigree are the same which are mencioned in the first why doth not the seconde petigree name the princes auncestours from king Dauid by king Salomon as the first doth but by Nathan an other of Dauids sonnes by Bersabe king Salomon his mother Againe if Salathiel and Zorobabel mentioned in the second petigree are not the same which are mencioned in the first petigree how came they which are reckoned in the second petigree to be princes of the people and their posterity vntill Iamnes slue himselfe A sacred history affirmeth that Zorobabel who is saide to descend from Iechonias the last king of the Iewes by Salathiel did carrie the people home out of Babylon where they had beene captiues And other hystories of authoritie continue this gouernment by Mosullam or Misciola Zorobabels sonne and such as are reckoned in the seconde petigree to bee the prince his ancesters The difficultie will bee easilie solued if we may say that Salathiel and Zorobabel mencioned in the one petigree were the same which are mentioned in the other and that Salathiel was not sonne vnto Iechonias but vnto Neri And this is agreeable vnto the Oracle which said that Iechonias should be barren and one who should neither prosper nor haue anie ofspring which shoulde sit in the throne of Dauid or haue any authoritie euer after in Iudah Which shoulde not haue beene true if hee shoulde haue children to succede him and to say that a man is barren or that the sonne dooth not succeed his father when the sonne hath not that pompe and maiestie which his father had is to say that most men are barren and few sons succeed their fathers so we may say that neither Salomons sonne did succeed him from whom ten tribes fell and followed Ieroboam nor Ioachas succeed his father Iosias because that Pharaoh king of Egypt within three moneths after tooke him sent him into Egypt where he died prisoner nor Ioachim brother to Ioachas who after that he had for a space paide to Pharaoh a yeerly tâ—ibute of a 100. talents of siluer and one of gold paide tribute for the space of three yeeres to Nabuchodonosâ—r king of Chaldea and rebelling against him was taken and slaine and throwne out of Hierusalem and lay vnburied according to the Oracle which sayd that hee should haue no other then the buriall of an Asse Nor his sonne Iechonias who was within three moneths after caried prisoner into Chaldea least perchance he should by some meanes haue reuenged his fathers death yet notwithstanding is this Iechonias sayde to haue sitten in the throne of Dauid and Zorobabel and his children hauing authoritie in Iudah as Kinges although for some cause they woulde not bee called Kings it is euident the Oracle being of infallible truth that Salathiel father to Zorobabel was not naturall sonne to Ieconias but to Neri and accounted the sonne of Ieconias as descending of Ieconias his wife who was left to Neri the next of kinne to Ieconias and to raise seed to Ieconias who according to the Oracle was barren Some woulde seeme to solue this difficultie by saying that Salathiel was the naturall sonne of Ieconias and adopted by Neri after Ieconias his death but why then were the princes his auncestors reckoned from King Dauid by Nathan the other beeing both a more true and more honourable petigree By this pedigree also is shewed how the prince was high priest for Onias the high priest hauing one onely daughter and one sonne hee gaue his daughter in marriage vnto Tobias otherwise called Mathathias Siloa who was grandfather vnto Iamnes the last prince which the Iewes had immediately before the Machabees and one of the yong prince his anncestors but his sonne Onias some call him Ananias and say that hee was not his sonne but his brother fledde from Hierusalem into Egypt where by Philomater the King of Egypt his lycense hee built in Hieropolis a Temple like vnto the temple in Hierusalem and there ended his life in scisme Onias the Father hadde also twoo brethren who after they hadde brought him out of the high-priesthood were themselues as they bribed Antiochus Epiphanes the King of Siria nowe one of them high priest nowe another and in the ende both shutte out and slaine Some doe say that those three brethren were sonnes to Simon who was high Priest and sonne vnto that Onias which fled into Egypt but whosoeuer they were all perished and oue succeeded them in that dignitie whose name
shee had offered almes at whose death a sword of griefe should pierce her owne soule For among others which expected the redemptioÌ„ of Israel one whose name was Simeon dwelling in Hierusalem father vnto Gamaliel as some write and sonne vnto Hillel who was one of the twoo chiefe maisters of the Scribes and Pharyses men of great learning and right vnderstanding vntill opposing themselues against the Sadduces who were accounted heretickes among the Iewes they fell by two much precisenesse into most absurd superstitions This Hillel liued 120. yeeres and flourished not long after the Machabees he was of the tribe of Iuda and no doubt instructed his sonne Simeon how neere hee was who was to come to redeeme Israel for which cause Simeon made alwayes his prayer vnto God that hee might see his Sauiour before hee dyed which was promised vnto him and this day of the virgins purification performed for comming according vnto his custome into the Temple and seeing the mayden mother and her sonne hee tooke the childe with exceeding great ioy in his armes and as one who after a long time had obtained his hearts desire hee beganne with a voyce which was no lesse then an 100 yeere old to sing this little Hâ—mme Now lettest thou thy seruant Lord depart According to thy word in peace Because mine eyes haue seene which ioyes my hart Thy sacred health my soules release Which thou prepared hast before all peoples face A light to light the rest renowne to Iacobs race Had this beene else where the mayden mother vsed vnto such matters would either haue beene very little or nothing mooued but her sonne being at that time and in that place descryed it made her greatly amazed much more did it astonish others who could not but knowe that the three Kings came to Hierusalem to seeke such a childe and poore Ioseph among the rest maruailed not a little who was accounted by the people father of the childe and for that cause is so called in the same sacred hystorie which before had shewed how that the Maiden mother conceyued this childe by the holie Ghost without the companie of man But old Simeon draue her out of that maze by drawing her into a farre deeper muse for afterwarde taking aduauntage of his owne gray haires and her greene yeeres hee blessed her and gaue her as much cause of griefe in prose as hee had giuen of ioy before in verse and tolde her that her sonne should bee the ruine although also the raysing of manie in Israel and that he shoulde be a signe which shoulde bee contradicted alluding perchaunce vnto that which the Oracle sayde vnto Achas king of Iudah The Lorde shall giue you a signe behold a virgin shall conceiue and bring forth a sonne But in that Simeon sayde that this signe shoulde bee contradicted hee woulde insinuate eyther a troublesome life or else a scandalous death as that eyther his doctrine woulde bee little esteemed of where hee preached or that his manner of death shoulde bee such as beeing suffered by him shoulde in malicious mynded men derogate from the worthinesse which others attribute vnto him For aptlie dooth the conclusion of Simeons speech vnto the virgin folâ—ow And a sworde of griefe shall pierce thy soule and manie secrete thoughts be reuealed And no sooner had Simeon done his deuotion but a religious widow of 84. yeares and aboue a hundred yeeres old daughter vnto Phanuel of the tribe of Aser came not vnto the Temple for she was neuer from thence spending there all her life in fasting and prayer but vnto the maiden mother and hauing done her dutie vnto the yong prince shee spake of him for she had before the spirit of prophecie vnto all such as looked for the redemption of Israel And after these things were finished they returned into Galile vnto their citie Nazareth from whence they parted when they came to Bethleem These ceremonys being finished which satisfied the Iewes law a new solemnitie was also begun which should abolish the Gentiles loosenesse for as by the princes his birth the sports made in December in honour of Saturne were afterwarde turned to celebrate his natiuitie who was to bring again vnto the worlde such tymes or rather better then in which Saturne raigned and as by the effusion of his moste precious bloud the first day of the yeare had a newe consecration which was before performed with vain pastimes in honour of Ianus so now in Februarie wherein they vsed their lupercals either to purge the vnclean spirits or to please themselues with vnseemly sports both the virgin was purified because she would not haue it knowne howe litle she needed it and the yong prince was offered who doubted not afterward to make himself a most gratefull sacrifice thereby to chaunge these senselesse superstitions into a moste sacred solemnitie likely to teach them also some newe kinde of tryumph in March in which Moneth theyr priestes which song and daunce marched vp and downe in the streetes in armour But before the virgin and her spouse had disgested these sodaine ioyes which hapned vnto them in the Temple new dangers were set before them insomuch as that their owne experience might sufficiently haue taught them if they could not haue told before that mourning is alwayes at one end of myrth Ioseph his iealousie swallowed vppe his first ioy hee had in his spouse their grieuous winter iourney made him bewayle her wombes groth their gladnesse at this childes birth was checked with an inconuenient abode the shepheards congratulation was soone choked with the childs circumcision the kings oblation of golde and frankensence was not perfected without mirrhe and now that they haue beene at the Temple and heard what ioy these made which did but see him who was theirs a message commeth which to shew the more hast commeth by night and vrgeth Ioseph to arise and take the childe and the childs mother and flye into Egypt for that Herod would make search after the childe to kill him The message being deliuered vnto Ioseph he lost little time but rose and tooke the childe and his mother by night and went into Egypt where they remained not onely vntill the massacre was ended but also vntill that Herod was dead Then were many Oracles vnderstood and one principall prophesie was fulfilled that the Lorde should ascend vppon a light cloude and should enter into Egypt and the Idols of Egypt should bee ouerthrowne and the heart of Egypt should languish in the middle thereof for when the sonne of God became a man he was in some sort hidden that his glorie was not seene and the flesh which hee tooke was likened vnto a light cloude either because flesh is of it selfe no more lasting then is a thin cloude which with euery little winde is dissolued or else because he was of no lesse power when he was in that cloude then he was before At his comming into Egypt some affirme that all the Idols in Egypt fell downe
commend him for by Caesars words Herode was noted to be so strickt an obseruer of the law he professed as he wold preferre it before his sons life yet was it manifest vnto the Iewes that Herod wold not spare to kil yea to eat swines flesh if by eating therof he could haue found any sweetnes for all his religion was meere policy he caried onely a shew of religion to win mens mindes vnto him He built a goodly temple in the place of that which the Iews built after they returned from their captiuitie in Babilon but hee shewed with what deuotion when hee erected a golden Eagle vpon the great gate of the temple for pulling downe of which as a thing not tollerable by the Iewes lawes that any image shold be dedicated in their temple many were put to death and peraduenture more should if he had liued longer for howsoeuer he got the fauours of forraine people he lost ordinarily the harts of all the Iewes for beside the great taxes and aduantages which hee got of the people to enrich himselfe by which riches he purchased straungers good will he was alwaies exceeding cruell vnto his seruants But due punishment for his crueltie especially that murder of the infants was not altogether deferred vntill after this life for long before he died he had a most odious disease such as was so grieuous vnto him that if others had not staid him hee had in one of his pangs slaine himselfe His disease tooke him with an extreame heate in all his bodie so that his bowels were consumed he fed greedily without any intermission his entrailes were exceeding fore and hee was troubled with an extreame collicke his feet his grines swelled his members rotted being full of wormes with the which they had both a filthy stifnes gaue out an intollerable stinke his sinewes were shrunke and his breath he drew very short After that the phisitions told him that he was past their cure hee was carried beyond the riuer Iordan to a citie called Callirhoe neere vnto which is a great rock hauing as they were two teats of equall height from the ground not far one froÌ„ the other out of which ran two sorts of waters one extreme hot sweet the other as cold and bitter which meeting together made a pleasant medlie to drinke were also very medicinable for many diseases especially for shrunke sinewes Here did Herod bath himselfe but to so small purpose that being set afterward in a bathing tub full of oyle to refresh him he fainted and recouered not himselfe but by the outcrie of those which were about him then began he to thinke he should die and returning from thence to Hiericho he made his will wherein he declared his sonne Achelaus king and made his other sonnes princes of diuers places in Palestina he bequeathed a great quantity of mony to the Emperor and to the Empresse beside great store of plate both of siluer and gold very rich ornaments he distributed largely among his soldiers and friends prouiding for all vnto their contentment after he had setled himselfe to die he remembred that he was so much hated of all the Iewes that whereas at the death of princes much mourning is in all their dominions contrariwise at his death would bee as much ioy therefore that he might bee honoured with teares after his departure he commanded that all the nobilitie of Palestina should vppon paine of death come vnto him with whome after he had a while quarelled he sent them to be kept in an Amphytheater with this charge vnto his trustiest and dearest friends his sister Salome as some think her husband but others think he had caused theÌ„ also to be murdered before that as soone as he were dead before his death were knowne abroad all those Iewes should in that place be slaine but the ioy he conceiued of this although it did him very great ease was not able to make him forget his owne griefe but in a raging impatiencie woulde haue slain himself with a knife for which he called to pare an apple as he vsed to do in the time of his sicknesse had not Achiabus his nephew stayed his hand and not long after hee finished a most hatefull life yet according as he had liued in exceeding great pomp his body was buried with great honour The litter on which his body was laid was of golde adorned with very rich and pretious stones it was couered with purple as also his body was he had a diademe on his head and a crowne of gold ouer that hee had also a scepter in his hand his children and kinsmen were round about his body next to them went his guarde and champions first the Thracians then the Germaines after these went the Frenchmen then came the whole armie lead by their Captaines and Centurions all in warlike manner after those went fiue hundred of his seruantes carrying sweet perfumes which order they kept vntill they came to Herodium a castle built by himselfe before not farre distant from Ierico where hee was interred but the Iewes whome hee had caused to bee shut vp in the Theater to bee slaine were all let goe after his death and a gratefull message came to Ioseph in Egypt by night in his sleepe that he shold rise and take the child and his mother and returne into Palestina because they were all deade which sought the childe to murder him which Ioseph flacked not but as soone as he heard that Archelaus did rule in Iuda he was afraide to go thether and being in the same manner vrged againe hee went to Galilie and dwelled in Nazareth whence he before had brought his spouse and at this time was vnder Aâ—tipas as also the countrie of Perea vpon the far side of the riuer Iordan and therefore called sometime Transamnana for that part did Herod allot vnto him in his last will and testament who gaue also vnto Philip an other of his sonnes the Tetrarchie of Traconites Bathanea Auranitis Paneas all which prouinces except Paneas are also without the riuer Iordan vpon the north part of Palestina Iamnias Ahotus and Phaselida he gaue to Salone who was his sister Iudea Idumea Samaria remained to his sonne Archelaus whome he appointed to bee king after him if so Caesar would neither dared Archelaus although all did congratulate him by that name to take vpon him to bee king vntill hee had beene at Rome with Caesar whether when he came he wanted no aduersaries to stande against him especially the Iewes which laboured much to be deliuered from the tyranny vnder which they had liued being vnder his Father and feared the like vnder him who alreadie at Easter when from all partes of the world came Iewes to Ierusalem to solemnize that feast had slain about three thousand and commaunded al to leaue of their accustomed deuotions and returne vnto their owne countries but his chiefest aduersarie was his brother
Antipas who claimed the kingdom by his fathers will which was made when hee was in health and would haue disprooued his Fathers last will because it was made when hee was in great extremitie of sicknes and knew not what hee did but Nicholas of Damascus Archelaus his orator knowing before whom he pleaded answered that it was a sufficient argument that Herod knew what he did because he left his will in all things to Caesars wisedome and after he had laid the blame of al the murders and misdemeaners of Archelaus vppon them which aunswered him as being rebellious and sactious people against their prince Archelaus came to Caesar and vpon his knees offered himselfe vnto him whome Caesar took vp and promised that he would doe nothing against Herods last will onely he would haue him refraine the name of a king for a while which he doubted not but that hee would quicklie deserue The cause of this strife betwixt these two brethren for the kingdome was Herods their fathers rashnes who in his life time appointed now one then an other almost all his sonnes for kinges first hee ment that the kingdome should descend from him vnto his sonnes Alexander Aristobulus whome he had by Mariamnes grandchild to Hircanus ' the last king of the Iewes but his eldest son Antipater whom he had by Doris a base woman being prouoked oftentimes by the contemptuous speeches of the princes for whose mothers loue his mother was reiected deuised how he might both take reuenge vpon thē and aduance himselfe whereof first hee wrought meanes by the discredite of the princes to come a little into his Fathers fauour which when hee had gotten so farre as his Father put him before the two princes in the right of the kingdome hee vsed matters in that sort that Herod hauing by his sleight and his friends put Mariamnes to death now also by his false suggestions murdered his two sonnes which he had by her then was Antipater honoured as a king by all for Herod gaue ouer vnto him the gouernement of the countrie in such manner as he kept vnto himselfe little more then the bare title of a king which Antipater also thought was too much yet first he stirred vp his father what he coulde against Archelaus and Philip two other of his brethren thē sought meanes to poison his Father which being perceiued by Herod hee presently chaunged his former will by which hee had giuen the kingdome to Antipater and being offended with Archelaus and Philip by Antipaters meanes hee made Antipas his successor in this kingdom but before hee dyed hauing manifest proofe of Antipaters treasons against him he repented too late his cruelty which now he mistrusted was without cause against Mariamnes her children and accounting all which proceeded from Antipater to haue beene false accusations to further himselfe in the kingdome he chaunged his will and deuided the countrie into foure partes made foure Tetrarches ouer it but the chiefest part he left to Archclaus whome he set downe in his last wil for his successor if Caesar shold think him meet and not aboue fiue dayes before his death caused Antipater to be executed and buried obscurely for as he had many causes for which hee thought hee might worthily haue put him to death before so would he not vpon any of them execute him without Caesars consent to whome hee had signified by letters what Antipater had attempted and wrought against him and how that in his treasons he had vsed the helpe of Acme who attended vpon Iulia the Empresse to which letters Caesar aunswered that Acme being found guiltie at Rome was executed as she had deserued and that Antipater was now at his Fathers discretion to order him as hee would which was no small comfort vnto him in the extremitie of his sicknes wherefore hee determined that Antipater should die which intention vpon this occasion was put in execution When Herod beeing in an extreame fitte of his sicknesse would haue slaine himselfe and was hindered by Achiabus who was his nephew Achiabus notwithstanding hee had preuented the stroake gaue so great a skritch that all in the pallace thought Herod had beene dead And Antipater who was not farre off although a prisoner hearing those newes dealt with his keeper to lette him goe at libertie as not doubting to gette the kingbome within a shorte time and to the end he might perswade the more easily hee promised great gifts both then and for afterward But this keeper either for feare of Herod or for little loue to Antipater went presently to Herod and declared his sonnes attempt for which Herod in his rage commaunded him presently to bee slaine so that now remained the other twoo willes which Herod made to bee tryed which of them were of force but Caesar decided the controuersie and the two brerhren vppon this conclusion returned from Rome to Palestina where Archelaus as well before as after his voyage did so little degenerate from his father that gladde were they who were out of his dominion which was the cause why Ioseph auoyded his owne countrey and went directly to Nazareth with his charge from whence euerie yeare for deuotion sake they went to Hierusalem to the Temple especially at the feast of Easter for many feasts did the Iewes obserue and no one passed them without great solemnitie Some of them might not bee celebrated but in Hierusalem some againe might bee obserued els where wheresoeuer the Iewes dwelt Their Sabaoth they did celebrate euerie seuenth day a daye solemne from the beginning of the world sanctified by God himselfe and called the sabaoth because then hee ceased from creating the world and the complements thereof wherefore the Iewes alwayes except when they were in Egypt and all theyr auncestors kept the seuenth day holy in remembrance that after sixe dayes in which all things were created God rested the seuenth day which although perchance when they were in Egypt they minded not and in time forgot it being so long in bondage where they could not vse that honour vnto God vpon that day as theyr fathers had taught them yet were they assured that was the day when they were in the wildernesse by the myracle which chaunced so oft vnto them that in the end they did by theyr murmur seeme to contemne it for when they wanted victuall in the desart God sent down vnto them like raine a food which because they knewe not else what to call it they called it Manna which woord was in euerie mans mouth when they first saw it and signifieth what is this it fell sixe dayes and the seuenth nothing fell but vppon the sixt day it fell in greater aboundance then any other day that the people might gather sufficientlye to serue them the same day and the next Vpon this which they called sabaoth it was not lawfull for them to doe anye worke no not to prouide or dresse any meate for their sustenaunce for confirmation of which they did see