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
looketh backward is not iudged fitte for the kingdome of God as also hee afterward preached which sentences may haue a more fit place hereafter to bee discussed lette it nowe suffice that they shew howe that the young prince did not in vaine spend his time in making yoakes and ploughes whose principall arrant was for nothing else but that his spouse taking on her his yoake and going stil forward frō vertue to vertue might recouer with a sweet pain what she carelesly lost by a proude sin But Palestina labored all this while vnder a most grieuous yoake so much the more grieuous because they had no hope of any help The 72. seniors who were alwaies of the familie of Dauid and the chiefe princes of the people therfore could beare great sway among thē were al murdered by Herod for he could neuer brooke any of the ancient nobility and Proselithes as himselfe was were in their place The two brethren whose falling out for the Kingdome was Herods falling into it were both put to death first Aristobulus who gaue the first occasion of the ruine of the countrey was poysoned by Pompey afterwarde Hircanus in whome was all the right which was knowne both to the priesthood and to the kingdome was put to death by Herod Alexander eldest sonne to Aristobulus and husband to Alexandra daughter to Hircanus was beheaded at Antioch in Siria Antigonus his other sonne fled with his sisters to mount Libanus where hee bestowed one of them vppon a great Lorde without the mountaine but himselfe was afterwarde taken and after some grieuous torture beheaded by Antony Alexandra daughter to Hireanus Herod did put to death and her daughter Mariamnes who was his owne wife also his own sonnes Alexander and Aristobulus whome hee had by her but before those hee caused Aristobulus who was brother to Mariamnes to bee drowned for he was the onely man whome at that time hee feared as well for his towardlinesse as his title hee hadde to the kingdome Yet to colour his malice hee gaue him all the honour which hee could he displaced Ananelus whome before hee had exalted vnto the priesthood and restored Aristobulus to the high-priesthood by which fact all that stocke thought themselues bound to him he might at his pleasure make him away when he would for before Alexandra had procured Cleopatra the Queene of Egypt to make Antony the Emperour send for him fearing lest that at one time or other hee should be murdered by Herod but when that Herod perceiued that some did worke to get him out of his handes after the first excuse made to Antony that the people would not like well to haue their onely hope from them in a strange countrey by this exalting him hee contented them all and Alexandra ioyed so much to see her sonne made high priest as shee forgot that euer shee had any iust cause to thinke him in any perill Herod seeing all things to goe forward as hee would wish and that nowe hee was trusted with the youth for hee was not past sixteene or seuenteene yeeres of age which was vsed for a colour that he was not before placed in that dignity he practised the more securely what he intended against Aristobulus but as it is thought hee made the more haste because he saw an extraordinary ioy in all the people who were maruailously affected vnto the youth for that in all his actions especially at the Altar in his rich ornaments hee did most liuely represent vnto them his grandfather Aristobulus performed all things with exceeding great maiestie and reuerence Herod resolued to rid him and his owne feare playd with him as he was woont to doe for he cared not sometime if hee were seene to vse some youthfull games in his companie to make him and others thinke how much hee loued him and when they were both somewhat hote vnder pretence of some refreshing hee carryed Aristobulus to a verie pleasant place where were large pondes and men swimming in them amongst whome at Herods verie importunate intreatie Aristobulus went also to swimme and the swimmers hauing gotten him into the water pretended to make him some sport but Herod who was a looker on had all the pleasure for they diued so long and so often and ducked him with them so much that in the end striuing to small purpose hee was drowned by them Then was nothing heard in the country but weeping and lamenting and Herod himselfe although hee wept at the beginning was thought afterwarde to grieue somewhat when hee reflected vpon those commendable parts which were in the youth and hee repeated this fact when Antony by Cleopatra her procurement at Alexandra her suite sent for him to answere for it but before hee went to make his answere hee sent such effectually pleading presents as when hee came all which he swore and forswore was beleeued and contrary to the expectation of the whole world and his own was not only acquited of this cruell murder but also vsed in most friendly and familiar manner The children which Alexander and Aristobulus Herods sonnes by Mariamnes left behinde them were too yong at this time to lay clayme to the kingdome although afterward Agrippa who was sonne to Aristobulus enioyed it But Archelaus shewing himselfe to be Herods son in all things which might vexe the Iews brought them all into such humours as they cared not what King they had so that they might bee freed from Herods kinred and some of them without anye head opposed themselues at Hierusalem agaynst the Romanes as the cheefest authours of their miseries others seeing no possibilitie of withstanding the Romanes who were now become conquerours of all the worlde made suite at Rome to the Emperour Augustus that they might bee altogether vnder the Romanes gouernement Some followed one named Iudas whose father Ezechias had in Herods time troubled the whole countrey and they were the more encouraged to accept him for their King because at Sephoris the cheefest Citie of Galile hee tooke the Storehouse wherein was exceeding much armour with the which hee armed those who followed him Others about Hierico were contented to honour one named Simon with the title of a Kinge hee had serued Herod in his life time and nowe perswaded himselfe that hee had as much right vnto the kingdome as Herod his maister had before him whereupon to shewe some forwardenesse hee burned and spoyled many Pallaces therabout and gaue what was to bee gotten among his souldiours But these factions continued not so longe as that which a shephearde beganne of a huge stature and strengthe his name was Athronges hee had foure bretheren not much inferiour to himselfe whome hee made gouernours of those multitudes which flocked vnto him but in the end some of the brethren being taken the other vpon condition yeelded vnto Archelaus Others hearing a rumor that Alexander one of Herods sonnes whom he had by Mariamnes was yet liuing beleeued it because they much wished it and no honour
due vnto a King was thought too much for him hee was brought to Rome in most princely manner with hope to haue this kingdome of Palestina and to requite all those who had in this sort maintained him But Caesar who knew that Herod was too carefull to lette any of them escape death who he resolued should die especially such as whose kind he feared would not beleeue that any such report could bee true yet hearing that many thousands of people would not onely say it but sweare it hee beganne somewhat to doubt and sent Celadus who hadde beene a companion with Alexander and Aristobulus while they liued at Rome to see what this should meane and whether it were Alexander or some counterfeit but both his countenance and his skill in all matters concerning Palestina was such as Celadus returned answere that it could bee no other then the same Alexander Then did Caesar 〈◊〉 for him congratulating his happie escape and demanding for his brother Aristobulus was answered that hee stayd in Cyprus vntill hee heard of Alexanders safe arriuall in Italy least that the Iewes should by the casualtie of the seas hazard all their hope in one voyage but before hee had long talked with this Alexander hee perceiued somewhat differ in his countenance from Alâ—â—anders fauour and in the ende by that and some defect in his behauiour which was not possible to bee in Alexander who in all poynts as well in behauiour as countenance shewed himselfe a maruailous braue and towardly prince Caesar perswaded himselfe that this was some counterfeit and not Alexander Herods sonne beside that hee felt his hande verie hard and rough more like vnto some peasants hand of the countrey then the hand of a prince Wherefore in some earnest manner but with fayre speeches he commanded him to shew truely who hee was and who had put this attempt into his head and promised him his pardon Alexander not hauing nowe his tutor at his elbow discouered himselfe and of whom he had all his instrucâ—ionâ—s at which after Caesar had a while laughed Alexander was sent to the gallyes and his tutor put to death by which meanes all wente still currant with Archelaus who presuming much vpon the Emperour his fauour hid nothing of his owne disposition but ruled where hee had authoritie with so much tyrannie as both the Iewes and Samaritanes ioyned together who were euer deadly enemies after their persecution vnder Antiochus Epiphanes at what time the Samaritanes renounced both Gods law and allyance with the other parte of Palestina and sacrificed both to whom where Antiochus would haue them and sent an Embassage to Rome vnto the Emperour where they touched Archelaus with so many crimes that about nine yeeres after hee beganâ—â— his raigne the Emperour banished him into France to Vienna and seased vppon all that was his adding that part of the countrye ouer which before Archelaus was tetrarch vnto Siria and sent one from Rome to gouerne it Thus came Hierusalem the cheefest Citie of Palestina vnder the gouernement of the Romanes who although they often attempted as Herod had before them to prophane the temple yet at theyr times euery thing was performed in the temple which was accustomed to bee doone before The Romanes saw that Archelaus and Herod made it no matter of religion to change the high priest so often as they listed and that libertie also they vsed contrary to the custome which was alwayes obserued among the Iewes for while one high priest once chosen was liuing no one did the office of the high-priesthood but hee except vpon some accident hee were not fitte for it as once it chaunced that the high priest dreaming that hee lay with his wife the night before hee was to offer a solemne sacrifice was accounted vncleane for that which passed from him in his sleepe at which time another for that daye supplyed his place for they required great puritie in the priests which did theyr fâ—nctions in the Temple Antiochus Epiphanes was the first that did substitute one in the high priestes roome while the other liued Aristobulus forced his brother Hircanus to leaue both the kingdome and priesthood to him the third time that the high-priest was changed was wheÌ„ Herod placed or displaced Ananelus for Aristob his wiues brother but afterward it became a verie ordinarie matter which both Herod Archelaus the Romanes did the more boldly because in the time of their gouernment they had the keeping of the high priests rich ornameÌ„ts vntil Vitellius sending away Pilate called Pontius because he came froÌ„ gouerning Pontus to beare some sway at Hierusalem although at that timex hee was not made president of the country willing to gratifie the Iews beside many other priuiledges gaue theÌ„ also the keeping of those ornameÌ„ts which first fell into Herods hands when they seased on that Pallace which afterward hee made a verie strong Castle and called it after the name of his friend Antony who was his chiefest stay during his life This pallace did belong to the Machabees and Hircanus high priest and prince of the countrey hauâ—ng his pallace so neere vnto the Temple would vse no other place to put on or off his attyre but this and in aâ—â—hest for the purpose he alwaies locked vppe his ornaments which order was obserued by those who succeeded him and Herod getting the kingdome and finding this chest with thâ— ornaments thought it good pollicie to haue them still in his own keeping and thereby in some sort to be able to bridle the Iewes Archelaus succeeded his father and kept them in the same manner and when hee was banished the Romanes entred vpon the Castle and all things which they founde there yet to content the Iewes the president kept a lampe continually burning before them which was accounted a reuerent keeping of these holy ornaments deliuered them seuen dayes before they were to bee vsed that they might bee purified before the feast for they were accounted as prophaned by lying in a prophane house or by passing through prophane handes but the next day after they were vsed they were brought backe to the president and locked vp vntill they were to bee vsed againe which was but thrice ordinarily in the yeere The yong prince who a long time appeared no other then a carpenter in the thirtieth yeere of his age beginneth to finish that which at the first hee entended to frame which whosoeuer shall prosecute and shew in what sort hee vncharmed the Lady which was enchaunted by eating of the fruite of a tree by choaking the inchaunter with no other thing then what also a tree did beare shall both finde a most pleasant entrance and when hee hath entred an endlesse entising paradise FINIS Page Line Faults escaped 3. 25 seede reade feede 14 22 take reade take 19 11 appoynted to reade appoynted by God to 21 12 a Eedar reade of Ceâ—ar 23 17 annoynted reade accounted 27 12 stayres reade stories 28 18 seemed reade serued 30 7 miage reade image 32 16 Sedechias and his reade Sedechias his 34 10 some foure reade some fortie fiue 35 30 sides reade side 38 12 in a daungerous reade in daungerous  24 mannor re de mannour house 40 23 vnth reade vnto 44 3 or that reade of that  21 of her reade to her 45 22 proceede reade proceedeth 48 8 worked reade marked  11 spake reade speake  29 inconuenience r incombrance 50 15 battering reade bettering 60 28 whome reade where 63 11 secure reade former 65 10 fayned reade framed 67 31 many reade as many 68 30 and his reade and his ioy 69 25 How thinke you will reade who thinke you will 73 15 descent reade discent 79 16 Capitoll reade Capitoll fell downe 77 1 hetherto reade heretofore  12 Tiumiari reade Triumuiri  15 Trâ—umuâ—ri reade â—uum viri 78 10 hundred ten times read a hundred times  25 throne she reade throne and she 79 12 description reade inscription  22 Dauid reade Daniel 82 7 restised readeresisted 85 7 against reade preuailed against 86 5 will reade woe  5 amazed reade amated  8 Achum reade Actium 88 14 Iasme reade Iosue  25 Ephrada reade Ephrata 90 10 enreated reade entered  29 his armes reade her armes 93 10 labour reade labours 98 10 rathero reade rather to 22 foreshew reade foreslow 101 24 boster reade bolster 103 19 other reade either 105 21 sought reade song 108 29 secret reade so great 109 12 and shee reade and hee 110 21 significant reade so significant 117 22 it reade is 117 3 spreade reade speede 119 23 in middle reade in the middle 121 28 and reade and as it was so 126 21 there reade three 132 21 brought reade bought  30 Alemius reade Alcimus 133 22 naturall reade mortall 137 18 Prince reade price 138 2 easily reade dayly  7 imparting read imported 141 7 ten daies read forty daies 146 19 almes reade a lambe  21 almes reade a lambe  27 Hilleb reade Hillel 147 2 Hilleb reade Hillel 149 21 performed read profaned 151 31 Aylous reade Azotus 152 3 things made of reade thing of 155 3 riot reade report 156 3 age then another of reade age of 164 8 Ahotus reade Azotus 165 5 answered reade accused 172 16 assistance readeresistance 174 15 Phese reade Phase 177 16 moat vpon reade meat vpon 179 13 it was reade it was first  18 prayed reade and prayed 184 1 first reade the first  31 passed and reade passed to and 187 24 wast reade worse 190 25 names reade manners  25 soone reade same 192 24 priesthood reade highpriesthood 193 21 performed reade and performed 194 13 repeated reade repented 196 25 seeke reade send 197 18 instruments reade instructions
comprehended in any place the depth saide it is not in mee and the sea disclaimed it and other places of treasure were altogether vnknown whence then commeth it or what where hath it had it hath beene hidden from mens eyes and the Angels could neuer attaine vnto it Death and destruction said they had heard of it and now that same wisedom which hath been concealed froÌ„ so many is reuealed vnto you yee heard of it in Ephrata imbraced it in Bethleem althogh in so poore an estate as of all his state lines he seemeth to haue nothing remaining but what might moue both him and his to mourning How happie did these princes iudge all those which might dayly attend vpon this young prince whose wisedome might verie well be wondred at although hee had no wordes as also his conquests which afterward hee obtained without any weapons all his lookes and gestures did these princes maâ—ke euery thing they saw and heard impâ—â—ting some maruelous great mysterie and now nothing seemed grieuous vnto them after this long iorney but that they must part from this so much desired companie not because they would but because it was necessarie they should least their too long abode in such a place might cause to soâ—e to open a speech abroade of the prince but determining to take their leaues hauing now done their fealtie vnto a new king of whome they acknowledged they held their kingdomes they were warned in a vision not to goe backe againe to Herod but to returne by some other waye into their countrie not because that Herod should not know of their going but because that Herod knowing the manner of their going which was through such obscure places as manie times they were constrained to lie in the hollowes of mountaines shoulde thinke that these princes had committed some greate follie in comming so farre with such iolitie and triumph to seek a prince which was not to be found and were therefore so ashamed of themselues that they would not be seen again of him nor of any other which see them wheÌ„ they came for it is not credible that three kinges knowne to be in Palestina and whether they went could passe through it with their traine although it were not very great and with their dromedaries Herode not heare of it Herode therefore being thus perswaded of these kings their voyage rested resolued vpon this matter that since they had lost their labour in seeking out the prince to honour him he would not also be laughed at in the like enterprise to murder him Wherefore this iourney of the three kinges was quickly past and Herode well pacified but the kings their guide their offerings the place where and to whom the offeringes were made are briefly recorded for all posteritie to know them by a deuout of the young prince in this Himne O onely Cittie of great worth Bethleem greater then the rest Whose chance it was for to bring forth A heauenly guide of health inflesht Whom shining starre more theÌ„ the sun And of more comely portraicture Doth shew that to the earth is come God in an earthly creature Whom when as that the Magi see Their Easterne presents they vnfold And prostrate offer him on knee Frankencense mirrh princely gold By gold th' acknowledgde him a king A God by their sweet frankencense By mirrh they shewd a mortall thing Vnited was to Gods essence The maiden mother who slept not when shee heard the poore shepheards discourse no doubt was wrathfull at those princes deeds and both marked well the maner of her sonne his disclosing himselfe vnto the world and mused that he would so soone diuulge so secret a word but vnderstanding that the nearest of these princes which came vnto him was a farre dweller she hoped her sonne might be talked of in their countries without any danger therefore she staid the more secâ—rely in her caue vntill her time came to go vnto the temple when both she was expected to be purified and her yong infant to bee presented for the Iewes accounted all women vncleane which according to natures course were deliuered of children either male or female with this difference that of a manchild she remaine vncleane fortie dayes and of a woman-child double so much And God challenged the first begotten among the Iewes to bee his whether it were man or beast which dutie vnto God in diuers times was diuersly performed for at the first euerie manchild did offer sacrifice as appeareth by the historie of Cain and Abell Afterward the first begotten onely as the chiefest was priest and offered for the whole familie but in the family of Iacob who by a supernaturall dispensation got the eldership and the priesthood from his brother Esau the tribe of Leui as the most faithfull to God sufficiently proued in reuenging the wrong done vnto him by those who adored the golden calfe in the desert being accepted and assumpted vnto this dignitie and to serue at the altar without any redemption the rest of the people might according as they were appointed by their law after a presentation made of their first begotten sonne 10. dayes after his birth redeeme him of God for fiue sicles The first breed of beastes such as were not admitted for the sacrifice were to be redeemed by being chaunged for other beastes which were lawfully sacrificed as the first breed of an Asse was redeemed for a sheep and other beastes for a sicle and a halfe and if they were not redeemed they were to bee killed which was freely granted by the consent of all the Iewes in remembrance that God slew the first begotten of the Egiptians both man beast wheÌ„ after many other plagues they wold not suffer the Iewes to depart According vnto this law as also to fulfill the law of purifying women after their deliuerie the maiden mother although she knew both her selfe to be a virgin therfore without need of any such ceremony her son to be the son of God therfore in that respect aswell as for that he opened not his mothers womb not to be subiect vnto that law yet she thought it most fit to present her selfe and her sonne at the temple carrying with her 5. sicles to redeeme her son a paire of yong pigeons or turtles for her own offering for such was the law that who were able should offer a lambe and a turtle or another pigeon and who were not able to buy a lambe should bring a paire of turtles or yong pigeons for old pigeons would not be accepted of nor young turtles because they are not so good as the other and the best were thought bad enough to offer vnto God And in this sort was this offering made The whole lambe if a lambe were offered or one of the turtles or doues if the partie were not able to buy a lambe was consumed with fire in the sacrifice a turtle doue was offered as a sacrifice for sinne for
the Iewes had diuers kind of sacrifices one which was offered vnto God for the speciall reuerence and loue which men did beare vnto him and this sacrifice was all consumed vppon the altar An other kind of sacrifice was called a sacrifice for sinne and the one part of the oblation was consumed on the altar and the other was to the priestes vse and to be eaten presently by them in the same place vnlesse the offering were made for the sinne of all the people or for the high priest for then it was all consumed with fire no foule were offered in this kind of sacrifice because they could not be deuided except at the purification of women for then was a doue alwaies offered for sinne whatsoeuer was â—o offered to be wholly burnt but the doue offered at that time after it was killed according to the law was wholly vnto the priestes vse A third sacrifice was offered vp either in thanksgiuing vnto God for such his benefites as alreadie they had receiued or to obtaine at Gods hand something which they wanted and this host was diuided into three parts whereof one was consumed with fire vpon the altar another was to the priests vse and all their family and the third part was to theyr vse whose offering it was and none of all these sacrifices might be offered without salt The beasts which were offered in these sacrifices were such as might easily be had in Palestina and such as might bee driuen without any great difficultie as sheepe oxen goates and of theyr kind the foule were such as were in great plentie as turtles and other common doues fishes were altogether excluded from their offerings both in respect they could not be had at all times when men would nor conueniently be brought aliue vnto the Temple and it was not lawfull to offer any dead thing vnto God but neither any quicke thing which had any defect for to this end were the Priests exceeding cunning to feele euery ioynt from the head vnto the feete and to iudge whether any thing were otherwise then well in the beast or foule which was offered and thereupon to accept of it or reiect it after which ceremonie the people washed their handes and layd them vpon the beastes head which was offered and left the rest vnto the priests without medling any further in the sacrifice except that in the third kinde of sacrifice the priest deliuered all the suet and the breast of the beast vnto them whose offering it was who taking it of the Priest lifted it vp before God and deliuering it backe againe vnto the priest the breast was to the Priests vse and also the right shoulder all the rest was to them which made the offeringe but the suet was all consumed with fire for it was as vnlawfull for them to eate any suet of their offerings as of the bloud and therfore they were as curious in offering all the suet as they were in shedding all the bloud a ceremony vsed euen where they might not vse any ordinarie instrument of death for although it was not lawful for theÌ„ to vse any instrument made for the purpose in killing their turtles or doues yet might they not kill them but by shedding their bloud wherefore they wreathed the necke bowed the head backward vnto the winges and with the nayles of their fingers cut the throate of the foule letting it in that sort bleede to death But what mysteire so euer was in killing the turtle doues or pigions in this or in any other sacrifice it cannot bee without some great mysterie that the mayden mother made so poore an offering for a payre of turtles or pigeons were not to be offered in this ceremony but by such as were not able to prouide a Lambe for theyr sacrifice and a turtle beside or a pigeon for theyr sinne and how could shee bee in such want whose parents were of so great wealth that the third parte onely of that which they had was sufficient for them and shee was eyther her fathers sole heyre or at the least had a third part if it bee true that shee hadde other twoo sisters but put the case that shee reaped as yet no profite by her fathers substance as who might yet bee liuing yet some say hee was dead or her mother or that her father if hee were deceased gaue by will twoo thirds of that hee had one to the poore another to the Temple as hee did in his life time and that the maiden mother was then to haue the profits but of the third part of that other third and that not as yet because her mother was liuing yet howe can shee be accounted as poore who so lately receiued so great presents for who can imagine that three Kings would come so farre to present another king with a trifle whose byrth was talked of so magnificently that no one was either before or after iudged peerelesse for might and wisedome but was thought among the Iewes and Gentiles to bee this Prince beside the president which the Queene of Saba gaue vnto them when shee came vnto King Salomon and presented him with exceeding great gifts meant vnto this Prince and for this Prince his sake giuen vnto Salomon because shee thought â—ee had beene the Prince of whome was the prophesie in her countrey and although these three princes their Kingdomes all put together were not to bee accounted of in comparison of the Queen of Saba her dominions yet no doubt they were verie rich as absolute Lords may bee of most fertile rich countries all of theÌ„ bringing gold according to their calling as meÌ„ who knew by the star that they were to appeare before him before whome theyr predecessor could not no doubt they brought it in great aboundance which neither the virgin could refuse beeing an offering of Kings nor spend within the space of a moneth in so poore a cottage but neither could she dispose of it to the poore without great speech of the country and to haue sent it vnto the Temple had beene to certifie them that the three kings had not onely beene with her of which perchance they might haue some knowledge otherwise but also had acknowledged her sonne to be the king of the Iews which whatsoeuer else was to bee disclosed vnto them was as yet to bee kept most secret from them and perchance this was the cause why in her offering shee pretended that pouertie which the better shee thought shee might doe because shee was not bound to offer any thing but was most pure before and in place where shee did not onely touch that which was holy forbidden by the lawe to women before they were purified but handled in most sweete manner that holy one by whome all are made holy So that the question might haue more difficultie why shee offered any thing then why shee did not offer almes yet before that shee parted from the Temple she vnderstood verie well that
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
of his conception replenished with all grace by reason of that heauenly vnion which then was made but that as a man he encreased it by other kind of actions then he practised before he was a man which what they were more then his subiection to his mother and to the poore Carpenter his supposed father are not in any credible historie recorded except what hee did after he was thirty yeares of age and so forward vntill his returne from whence he first came But concerning the spending of his youth some affirme that he vsed the Carpenters art which hee seemed to haue learned of Ioseph because an infallible truth hath reuealed that men of that place where he dwelled such as in such a matter could not be deceiued after they heard him what he said and saw what he did when he shewed himselfe vnto the world maruelled whence he should haue so great power and so much knowledge one of them putting another in mind that he was the Carpenter who was Maries sonne and whose kinsfolke dwelled among them But how can it be that the virgine should bee an inheretrix aud to no small reuenewes and yet bee forced to liue vpon her sonnes labour for Ioseph liued not many yeares after his returne from Egipt it seemeth a very inconuenient thing that without any necessitie either she should giue from her selfe all that she had or he be subiect both to euill words and wâ—rse vsage To this some do easily make this answere that the virgine enioyed what her parents had before although after her sonne shewed himselfe vnto the world both he and she forced themselues to liue vppon the charitie of others lest in counselling others to sell all which they had and giue it to the poore if they would follow him hee might iustly haue beene challenged for preaching one thing and practising another wherefore the yong prince vsed an arte onely because he would not seeme to the world to liue idely for that was so scandalous a thing in that country that the chiefest men did train vp their children in one kind of trade or other but the young prince although hee could haue vsed what arte hee would being skilfull in all by his extraordinarie knowledge as well of the least matters as the greatest yet hee chose to bee a Carpenter rather then any other artificer first because he was not yet to shew himselfe vnto the world and therefore would do nothing but what people might thinke he was taught by Ioseph whom they tooke to bee his father Secondly for the affection he did beare vnto that arte aboue all other hauing vsed it from the first framing of the world a worke so much more excellent then euer any other Carpenter could make by how much the instrument by which it was made is incomparablie better then any Carpenters tooles Thirdly because it was the custome among the prophetes which were sent vnto the Iewes to shew before they did prophesie by some action what was the effect of their message and he would do the like The Prophete Ose being to foretell the ouerthrow of the house of Iehn who was king of Israel and also how Israel that is the ten Tribes which diuided themselues from Iuda and Beniamin was forsaken of God for their sinne and euill customes he tooke a wife which was before an harlot by which hee would signifie vnto the people that they liued in fornication and all manner of filth although because he married her he committed no sinne and when hee had gotten by her a sonne hee called his name Iesrael whereby hee would signifie that the blood which was shed in Iesrael should bee reuenged vpon Iehu for although Iehu pleased God well in ouerthrowing the house of Achab and Iezabell and therefore was rewarded with the kingdome of Israel and his posteritie vnto the fourth generation yet because he was not free from those vices of Ieroboam the first king of the Israelites which diuided themselues from the rest Zacharâ—as who was the fourth from him was slaine and the kingdome possessed by Sellum who was of another stocke And after the prophet had this sonne by his wife he had also a daughter which hee called without mercie because God would haue no mercie vpon Israel then he had also by her another sonne whom hee named Not my people whereby hee would shewe vnto them how that God had altogether forsaken them So that three yeares or thereabout at the least were past before hee ended his prophesie which without this action hee might haue ended in fewe more then three wordes In the same manner Ezechiel the prophet when hee was in Babilon carried out of his house all his substance by day in the sight of the Iewes who were captiues there at the same time and by night hee digged a hole in the wall of his house through which he crept and when hee was out he was taken vp and caried away by which he would shew vnto the Iewes which see this strange deuise how Hierusalem should be spoiled and Zedechias the king carried away captiue as afterward it proued although by night hee had thought to saue himselfe by flight through a priuate gate Ieremie also the Prophet after he had tried in vaine to stay the reliques of the people in Palestina who hastened into Egipt for feare that Nabuchodonosor would reuenge vpon them the death of Godolias who was left by him as president of the countrie and slaine by the Iewes when he came into Egipt for thither the Iewes carried him against his will he laid a great heape of stones in a caue which was vnder a bricke wal at Pharao his court gate and then he said vnto them that Nabuchodonosor who was king of Babilon should place his throne vpon these stones and when hee should strike Egipt they also should perish with the Egiptians Many other things are recorded which both this and other prophets did before they vttered their message but these suffice to shew their names of prophesying and the young prince perchance because he would obserue the 〈◊〉 course being the chiefest of all prophetes busied himselfe in such things before he preached as might very fitly bee applyed to his purpose for as some men do say he wrought nothing but yoakes and ploughes Hee made yoakes to shew that the perfection of his law consisted in mutuall loue and because in a yoake are as it were two parts in one wee should studie for nothing else but the true loue of God and our neighbour and this not so much for any our own interest or our neighbours as purely and onely for God in which yoake whosoeuer draweth tasteth first and then tryeth how sweete it is for hee which made this yoake sayde also my yoake is sweete and my burden light He made ploughes to shew that men must perseuere in that good woorke they beganne or else all the former gaine is to little purpose because he which holdeth the plough and