in the flesh it is as it were a slave in most hard and grievous bondage under a hard Master Therefore when it departeth from the body it is glad because it must go to the Garden of Paradise Thus ye see that in this life the soul is compared to a bond servant and slave Much more than this did he discourse of the immortality and blessedness of the Soul before them which we have omitted here And making then a Digression from that he lamented and wept most bitterly for the case of the City of Jerusalem saying Where is now â—…e City of Jerusalem that great and populous City Where is that most beautiful City of Sion and that holy City which rejoyceth the whole Earth O thou worship of Israel the miâ—…h of our hearts whither is thy glory come Where is thy magnificence O Jerusalem Where be the hillâ—… of the daughter of Sion Where be her Kings and Princes Where be the Kingâ—… that were accustomed to come to enquire of her welfare in her gates Where are her Sages and Elders her young and most valiant men which were jocund and merry in her streets upon her Sabbaths and Festival dayes Where is her famous Sanctuary the Dwelling of the Almighty God Where is the House of Sanctum Sanctorum the habitation of holiness wherein no man might set his foot but the high Priest which he never but once a year entred into but in thee O Jerusalem thou wa'st once replenished with people and renowâ—…ed amongst Kings beloved of God in thee was established the seat of the Kingdom of Justice and Judgement whose Streets were paved with most precious Marble whose walls glistred and shineâ—… with the same Stone whose Gates were every one plated with Gold and Silver whose Walls were builded with great Sâ—…ones most honourablâ—… whose Priests in the midst of the Sanctuary like to Angels of God and Princes of Holinesse with Sacrifices and burnt-offerings made the Lord loving to thee and thy people How art thou now full of slain men and carcâ—…ses which have perished some by the sword some by famine and how are thy sons that dwelt in thee and the strangers also that resorted to thee to honour thy Feasts brought to ruine now in thee How art thou fallen from the height of thy pride and how art thou set afire and burnt even unto thy foundations and art left desolate and solitary What eye is so hard that can behold thee What heart so stony that can endure to see thee How art thou become a burying place of carcases and how are thy streets made void and destitute of living creatures and they which heretofore were replenished with living are now stuffed with dead How hath the ashes of the fire covered thee that the Sun cannot come at thee How do the ancient men which in times past did fit in midst of thee in the seat of wisdom judgement and justice now fit by the carcases of their children to drive away Crows and beasts from them having their hoary heads besprinkled with dust and ashes instead of their glory and those women thy daughters that are left they remain in the houses of them that made thee desolate not that they may live but be unhallowed and polluted Who shall see all these things in thee and shall desire to live rather than to die Who knowing the magnificence thou hadst of laâ—…e and now shall see thine ignominy and dishonour of the same will not chuse to die And would God we had been dead before that we might not have seen in thee this thy reproach O that we were without eyes that we mâ—…ght not be compelled to see these mischiefs that are in the midst of thee And behold we live a most sorrowful life for our enemies even now afore we be dead cast lots for ouâ—… sons and daughters to divide them amongst them to be their servants and handmaids When Eleazar had ended this lamentation he spake to the people that was with himâ—… thus Now therefore Brethren and friends take compâ—…ssion of your selves your wives and children with the old men which be with you Let them not be led into bondage without all mercy that they be not constrained to mourn under the hands of their enemies For if you do this ye lose without doubt all places that are prepared for you in the world of righteousnessâ—… neither shall ye have any part in the light of liâ—…e Yâ—…a rather with your own hands kill tâ—…m For if â—…e will do so they shall be counted as sacrifiâ—…s most acceptable unto God And that done we will after issue out upon our enemies and fight against them till we die valiantly for the glory of the Lord. For we will never suffer them to bind us with bonds and chains as bondslaves in the hands of the uncircumcised Neither will we see our ancient men to be haled by the beards before our eyes most miserably nor yet our maids wives and daughters to be prophaned unhallowed and defloured nor our sons crying to us and we cannot help them Forwhat shall our life avail us after that our land is desolate our Sanctuary razed the Romans will ravish our wives and daughters before our eyes and oppress our sons with a most grievous and hard yoke Now therefore it is better for us all to kill our wives and children whose blood God shall accept thankfully as the blood of burnt offerings and after we will issue out upon the Romans fight till we be all destroyed and die for the glory of the Lord our God These men therefore went and gathered together their wives and daughters embraced them and kissed them saying Is it not better for you to die in your holy Country honourably than to be led away into bondage with great ignominy and shame into the Land of your enemies and be compelled to die before the Idols of the Gentiles These sayings when the people had heard they broke forth that night in to great sorrow and pensivenesse weeping and making great lamentation but they all confest with one accord that they had rather die than live Therefore as soon as it was day Eleazars companions killed their wives and children and cast their bodies into cesterns and wells that were in Mezirah covering and stopping them with earth Afterward issued Eâ—…eazar the Priest forth of the Town with all his men and forced a battel upon the Romans of whom the Jews killed a great nâ—…mber and fought so long till they all died mâ—…nfully for the Lord God But Titus left a remnant of Israel in the City Jafnah and the villages thereabout and in the City Bitter and Aâ—…ssa and their villages in which place Rabby Jochanan son of Sakkai was appointed chief Bonian the Priest younger bâ—…other to Jâ—…seph the Priest was put in authority by Titus for Josephs sake over all the Jews which were at Jerusalem At the same time was 〈◊〉 a Prince of Israel put to death and Ischmael son of Elischa â—…he high
time he had poison given that he died thereof Besides this also his son which came with him Ptolomee cast in prison These things justly chanced unto Simeon for that he had transgressed the word of the Lord that forbad all alliance with the Gentiles The time that he reignover Israel was eighteen years Then John his son reigned in his stead who was called Hircanus in the Greek Tongue The same-Ptolomy king of Egypt invaded Israel with all the power that he could make But John the son of Simeon met him and the Lord overthrew Ptolomy with his whole Host that they were slain of the Israelites and pursued to the City Dagon about which time the Israelites made trenches and besieged it Now within the Town they had the mother of king Hircanus whom Ptolomy caused to be set upon the walls and to be scourged with whips in the sight of her son When Hircanus saw the great affliction of his mother he would have raised his siege and departed from Ptolomy But his mother called unto him and said My dear son John regard not my trouble for all chastenings come from God Proceed manfully with thy siege against this City for it is in great distresse and revenge me thy father and brother murthered by Ptolomy The king followed her advise and manfully raised a Mount from the which he battered the walls with Engines of Iron like Chariots till they began to shake Wherefore many of the souldiers of the Town fled and their companies began to shatter Ptolomy seeing this commanded to afflict his mother yet more and to increase her scourgings until the entrails of Hircanus was moved that he could not abide longer to see his mother so cruelly handled but leave the siege and let Ptolomy escape who neverthelesse killed his mother and fled into Egypt In the fourth year of king Hircanus reign Pius king of Greece came and besieged Jerusalem with a great power and strength whom Hircanus was not able to meet and encounter withal in the field but suffered himself to be closed up in the City The king of the Grecians therefore raised great towers against the City apart from the wall digged a trench and cast up a mount Then planted they their Engins named Pâ—…ams against the gates so that the City was hard besieged for they beat down one of the Turrets that stood upon the wall whereat all Israel was afraid and agreed together to issue out and skirmish with them whatsoever should come thereon life or death Which although Hircanus liked not yet they did so and slew many of their enemies and put them also to flight that they were constrained to encamp themselves further off from Jerusalem Then the Israelites came to the towers that the Greeks had builded and razed them to the ground Thus they issued out daily skirmishing with Pius until the Feast of the Tabernacles Then sent Hircanus to Pius desiring him that he would grant them Truce and let them be at peace while the Feast lasted His request Pius granted and sent a fat Oxe to be offered to the God of Israel covering his horns with beaten gold and dressing him with fillets of christal other precious stones clad also in a garment of Purple and divers other precious cloaths He sent moreover plate both of silver and gold full of divers kinds of spices all to be offered unto the Lord. When Hircanus saw this he went out unto Pius and after he had made peace with him he made him and his chief men of War a great Feast and gave him a Present of Iâ—…I C. pound weight of Gold He went also with Pius to aid him against the King of Persia that at that time rebelled against him But he tarried there not long because the time of Pentecost was at hand Wherefore Hircanus and the Host of Israel returned but Pius and his Army of the Grecians proceeded Whom the king of the Persians met in the field slew Pius himself and vanquished the residue that almost none remained VVhereof when tydings came to Hircanus he was very glad and returned to Jerusalem with peace and joy After this Hircanus made many great Battels with the Nations about him and had ever victory He also came to the Mount of Corizim where he won a fort of the Sectaries and Samaritans and razed the Temple that the Sectaries had there as their house of Sanctuary which they builded by the licence of Alexander the first king of the Greeks He that built it was Manasse the Priest brother to Simeon the just But Hircanus the high Priest pulled it down two hundred years after that it was builded From thence he went to the Gity of Samaria and besieged it This was the mâ—…ther City of the Samaritans and Sectaries which was brought to such distresse by the long siege of Hircanus that they within were fain to eat the carcases of Dogs The feast of Propitiation then at hand Hircanus made speed to Jerusalem to execute his office at that feast for he was high Priest appointed for Generals of his Army Aristobulus his eldest son and his second Antigonus In the mean season they within the Town writ to the king of Greece to come to succour them which he did with a great power But these two young men the kings sons went to meet them with the strength of the Israelites and gave them the overthrow killing them up almost every one to the number of twenty one thousand fighting men and the rest fled That done the young men returned to the siege of Samaria King Hircanus their father had tidings of the coming of the Grecians against his sons so that he perceived they should have the Grecians of the one side of them and the Samaritans and Sectaries of the other but he knew nothing what was hapned for that victory chanced the ninth day of Tisre or September His heart therefore was careful for his sons and for Israel notwithstanding he proceeded in his office according as the feast required as he entred into the house of Sanctum Sanctorum or the Most Holiest to offer incense and to call for mercy for his children and for his Army he heard a voice speaking unto him Never trouble thy mind with thy children and with the Host of Israel for yesterday the Lord of mercy heard them and according to the greatnesse of his goodness for thy Fathers sakes Let thy heart therefore be right and thy hands pure So the King going out of the Sanctuary declared it to the people Whereupon the next day he sent post to Samaria and was assure dry certified again that this was true VVherefore King Hircanus was magnified greatly of all Israel for they knew that the blessed Lord accepted his doings inspiring him with the holy Ghost and increasing his kingdom and Priesthood After this he took journey to Samaria besieged it a whole year and at length wan it slew all also that bare life within He razed the walls the palace and
avail tears Why do ye not rather go before me and I will follow as I may For what should I do now seeing God hath given me into the hands of a most cruel Tyrant who spareth neither mine age nor your youth But I trust we shall live together in the Light of the Lord And although I cannot be suffered now to see you enough yet when we shall come thither we shall be satisfied with beholding one another Go ye therefore my dear sons and prepare us a place O that I might go before you the Lord knoweth I would do it gladly But ye my sons marvel not at this that is chanced unto us for it is no new thing The like hapned before this in the time of the Chasmonanites when as Antiochus by his wickednesse put to death the seven brethren young men in the sight of their mother which was a righteous and godly woman who chanced to find this mercy at the Lords hands that she might â—…sse her sons and embrace them as they also kist one another before they died Although they were put to death by the cruelty of the uncircumcised King of the Macedonians yet obtained they that which is denied at this day to us that are put to death by Schimeon who haâ—…h â—…he name of an â—…sraelite who beareth also the Covenant of our father Abraham in his flesh And would to God that we might live in their â—…nne or place of rest which albeit it will not be granted yet we shall be their neighbours seeing that we also die for the Law of the Lord. Therefore be of good comfort my sons and lament not for my sake For I judge this my misery easier and not so great as the calamity of Zedekiah whose sons were first killed then his eyes put out by the King of Chaldea and he lived many years after we are so much the more happie in my mind because we shall die together Then said Amittai to Schimeons servant which should kill him Make speed I pray thee and kill me first before my children die then after kill them also that we may die together for it is more expedient for us than to see the Temple of the Lord turned into a butchery or slaughter-house to slay men in After cryed he to God saying I beseech thee O Lord God most High which dwellest in the Highest judge this Schimeon according to his works reward him according to his deservings For thou art the God Almighty and dreadfull Let not this Destroyer die therefore among the people of thy pasture but that his death may be severed from the death of other men Let him die a horrible and sudden death Let him have no time to confesse his sins and to return himself to thee that thou mayest receive him for thou wert wont to receive them which turn to thee by repentance for he is not worthy of repentance which hath spoiled and wasted many goodly things in thy Temple besides that hath murdered most holy men in the same To the intent therefore that thy judgements may be declared in him I beseech thee make him to be taken Captive of his enemies together with his wife children and family and all that ever love him Neither give unto his soul any part with the people of God nor let his portion be with the just men in thy Sanctuary for he is unworthy of them because he hath not only sinned himself but hath caused Israel to sin Wherefore let his judgement and sentence go forth from thy sight that he may see his Wife Children and his whole House led into captivity and bondage before his face Afterward let him die a strange death such as never man heard of Let him be killed by most cruel men which when they have smitten him may after quarter him also whiles he is yet alive and that he may see his children go into bondage Let him also be a curse before all that shall see him Moreover Let him perceive that my words and destiny is better than his when as I go unto Thee in that great Light which he shall be deprived of After these words Amittai said to the servant who was appointed to kill him I beseech thee Let me find so much favour at thy hands that when thou hast slain my sons thou wouldst kill me with the same sword while it is yet wet with the blood of my sons that our blood may be mingled and this may be a recreation to my soul. Kill me also in the fight of the Romans that they may avenge me and my sons upon this most cruel Schimeon they shall be witnesses against him that I was not their friend But would God my affaires were all in that state as they were before for then should they perceive me to be an enemy of Schimeons and a friend of theirs Would God I had withstood Schimeon at the first earnestly as I made War upon the Romans that I might have avoided his cruelty from the people of God When he had said all these things he prayed before God Almighty saying O God which dwellest in the Highest thou only art most mighty and fearful open now the eyes of thy judgements consider and judge betwixt me and seditious Schimeon whose malice is become unmeasurable upon the people of GOD that he which sheddeth the blood of them that fear thee in the midst of the Temple may be rebuked of thee with rebukings according to his works make speedy vengeance and prolong not and that for the deaths sake of thy Saints for thy judgements are the judgements of truth Then Schimeon gave commandment to four Cut-throats of his that three of them should kill Amittai's three sons before their Fathers face and the fourth should kill Amittai himself and so the blood of the sons was mixt with the blood of their father Afterward Schimeons servant took the body of Amittai and laid it upon the bodies of his sons as his desire was then tumbled them over the Walls After that Schimeon commanded that Chanacus the high Priest should be put to death whose body was cast unto the bodies of Amittai and his Sons Aristus also the Scribe one of the Noble men of Jerusalem was killed at the same time and â—…en just men more of his kindred and house because theâ—… mourned for the death of Aristus It hapned while Schimeon was killing of those ten certain substantial rich men passed by and were wonderfully amazed when they saw the thing saying one to another How long will God suffer the malice of Schimeon and will not search out the blood of just men nor revenge them Certain seditious persons hearing this told it unto Schimeon who commanded them to be apprehended and murthered the same day After this there passed by eleven of the Noble men of Jerusalem which seeing fourty two innocents to be put to death by Schimeon they lift up their eyes to the heavens and said O Lord God of Israel How long wilt
you doth mark it The continual sacrifice is already ceased a good while ago the annointed Priest is cut away and put down These things though they be most manifest yet your hearts cannot believe them And many other words spake Joseph full of admonition and consolation but the Jews refused to hear him When he had made an end therefore and the Seditious had so hardened their necks Titus turned him and departed out of Jerusalem saying Let us go hence lest their sins destroy us Wherefore he pitched his Tents without the City in the same place where he encamped at first For he was afraid both for himself and his Army lest they should be circumvented and closed in and slain cruelly in so great City as that was Certain of the Priests of that time and of the Nobles of the Town with other godly men did wisely provide for themselves and came forth to Titus submitting themselves to his mercy and were received of him peaceably with great honour whom Titus commanded to be conducted into the land of Goshen where in times past the Israelites dwelt in the dayes of Jacob their Father and Joseph Lord of Egypt Thither sent he them and gave it them in possession to them and to their heirs for ever after commanding a company of the Chaldees safely to conduct them till they came to the land of Goshen Titus directed his letter also to the Roman President which was set over Egypt to take pity of the Jews that he had placed in the land of Goshen to sustain and succour them and to see that no Roman nor other should do them harm or annoy them by any manner of means Many other also of the Jews coveted to go forth of Jerusalem but they were disappointed by the Seditious that they could not do as they intended And who can tell whether they were entangled with their own sins and destined to destruction with their seditious brethren when as their hands also were polluted with the cruelty and iniquity of the Seditious Wherefore the Seditious closed up all the walls about the Temple that none of the Jews which were in Jerusalem might get out to Titus When Titus knew that many of the Jews were desirous to flee unto him and could not because of the Seditious he went again to the place where he was before Joseph with him Whom when the people saw to be there with Titus they fell a weeping and said unto him We acknowledge our sins and the transgression of our fathers we have swerved out of the way against the Lord our God for we see now the mercy and gentlenesse of Titus the son of Caesar and that he taketh pity upon us but what can we do when it is not in our power to flee unto him because of the cruelty of the Seditious The Seâ—…itious hearing them talking with Joseph in the presence of Titus and that they spake reverenâ—…ly of him and honoured his father calling him Lord they ran upon them with their drawn swords to kill them Then crâ—…ed they unto Titus Dear Lord and Master rescue us The Romans therefore made speed to deliver them out of the hands of the Seâ—…itious So rose there a fray in the midst of the Temple between the Romans and the Jews The Romans fled into the place called Sanctum Sanctorum which was the holiest of all and the Jews followed after and slew them even there Titus standing without cryed unto Jehochanan and said unto him Hearest thou Jehochanan Iâ—… not thy 〈◊〉 yet great enough Wilt thâ—…u never make an end of mischief Where is the honour of thy God Is it not written in the Law of thy God of the Sanctum Sanctorum that no Stranger ought to come at it but only the high Priest and that but once a year because it is the holiest of all And now how darest thou be sâ—… bold to kill those that are escaped unto it And how dare you â—…ed the blood of the uncircumcised therein whom ye abhor and yet mix their blood with yours The Lord your GOD is my witnessâ—… that I would not have this House destroyed but your own wicked works and your own hands do pull it dâ—…wn And would God you would receive your peace which if it were once done we would honour this House of the Sanctuarie and Temple of the Lord yea we would depart away from you But your hearts are hardned like Iron and your necks and foreheads are become obstinate as Brasse to your own undoing For ye shall carrie your own sins and die in the Land of the Romans I and my fathers house are innocent and guiltlesse of your death as the Lord and his Temple in whose presence we stand shall bear us witnesse this day But when he saw that none of the Seditious gave any regard to his words he chose out of the Romans thirty thousand valiant fighting men and gave them commandment to take and occupy the entry of the Temple which is a holy Court and determined to go with them himself but his Nobles would not suffer him but willed him to remain upon a high place where he might behold his souldiers fight and when they see thee afar off their hearts shall be comforted and they shall fight according as thou wilt wish them but come not at the entry of the Temple thy self lest thou be destroyed amongst other Titus followed the counsel of his Captains and went not out at that time with his men to the battel He made chief Captains of that host of thirty thousand one Karilus and Rostius two great Commanders who had order to set upon the Jews that night when they should be asleep with wearinesse The Romans therefore doing after his commandment set upon the Jews but the Jews having intelligence of the matter kept diligent watch and withstood the Romans all the night But the Romans were not hasty to fight in the dark fearing lest it might turn to their own harm As soon therefore as it was day the Jews divided themselves and bestowed their Companies at the gates of the entrance and fought like men Karilus and Rostius beset the Temple round about that not one of the Jews might escape out and so the battel encreased between them for the space of seven dayes sometimes the Romans getting the upper hand of the Jews driving them within the entrance sometime the Jews encouraging themselves made the Romans retire and pursued them to the walls of the Antochia in this manner fought they these seven dayes Afterward the Romans turned back from the Jews and would not fight hand to hand with them any more Then Titus commanded the walls of the Antochia to be pulled down further that there might be place for all his host to enter The famine in the mean season grew more grievous so that no food was left For the Jews began now to issue out and steal Horses Asses and other beasts whatsoever they could catch even out of the Romans
and in their will they brake the Crib Gen. 29. Crib for an Oxe Least the King should deride them and ask what hath a man to do with an Oxe The seventh And Moses took his wife and his sons and set them upon that that could bear a man Exod. 4. That that could bear a man for an Ass least the King should delude our Master Moses because he rod on an Ass and that he should not say how should an Ass bear a woman and two children He would never have done it if he had not been a begger The eighth And the dwelling of the Children of Israel in Egypt and other lands was 430. years Exod. 12. Notwithstanding they abode not in Egypt but 210. years and that is that their father Jacob told them Descend ye the letters of the which word in Hebrew signify 210 thither Furthermore the computation of 430. years is from the year that Isaac was born which was the holy seed unto Abraham The ninth And unto the little ones of the children of Israel stretched he not his hand Exod. 4. Little ones for Princes As who would say yea also unto their little ones he stretched not his hand Because he should not say the great men escaped but the children of the sons of Israel escaped not The tenth I took of them nothing of value Numb 16. Of value for an ass Least he should say he took not an Ass but he took one reward The eleventh Which things thy Lord God hath divided that they may shine on all People Deut. 4. That they may shine is added Least he should take an argument thereof and say Loe the Holy and blessed Lord hath divided them to all People and hath given them Licence to worship them The twelfth He went and worshiped strange gods which I commanded not to worship Deut. 17. To worship is added Least he should say now hast thou called them to strange worshiping of gods The thirteenth They Translated an Hare Little feet because the Kings wife was called Hare least he should say the Jews mock't me When these Seventy elders had Translated the Law into the Greek Tougue Ptolomy rejoycing much in their wisdom honored them with Princely apparel and great rewards brought them home again merry and glad Moreover he sent by them oblations to our God At that time there were many that condescend to follow the Laws of the Grecians but these Seventy refused Not long after Captain Seleâ—…cus Ptolomyes companion in Office died in whose stead Antiochus reigned in Macedonia This Antiochus making war upon Ptolomy bereft him of all his Dominions and slew him After that he subdued the Land of Israel then under the Regiment of Ptolomy and waxed very proud He hated Israel also because they loved Ptolomy and aided him in thâ—… wars against him This is that Antiochus that builded a great City upon the sea coast and called it Antiochia wherein he made a golden Idol commanding that the children of Israel should be brought unto it and worship it But some of them chose rather to suffer death for the religion of their God and some other fell from the Synagogue their mother Church Before this he took away also their Sabbath their New Moon and league of Circumcision forbidding that in any wise they should observe these Commandments in any place throughout all his Dominions For the which he put many of the Israelites to death and oppressed them more then did ever any of their enemies or adversaries The second man in honor next himself in Jerusalem was one Polipus he erected an Image in the Temple commanding the people of Israel to worship it and whosoever was disobedient to be slain Therefore he put to death Hanna and her seven children as it is mentioned in other places When Antiochus perceived this it increased his hatred towards Israel insomuch that he did his endeavour that none of them should escape or be left alive except such as would worship the Image Then fled many of the Israelites to the mount Modiit and to Jericho because of the law of Polipus and Antiochus his lord having to their Governour the high Priest Mattathias son of John otherwise called Casmoname The Priest enjoyned them to fast and punish themselves before the Lord with weeping sackcloth and ashes And after this he saith unto them if ye will jeopard your lives for the holy Lord why dye we like women Let us go and fight with Polipus and if we dye we shall dye with honor parad venture the Holy and blessed God will help us and will not root out the remnant of Israel To this counsel every man assembled and made a covenant with him upon this thing Polipus hearing this gathered his forces together and made towards them to destroy them and what Israelite soever he found in his way he slew him Mattathias the Priest and all the remnant of Israel understanding that Polipus came against them they went up the mount Modiit with their wives and children Then put he himself and his sons in aâ—…or He had five sons Judas the eldest the next Johonathan the third Joachan the fourth Schimeen the fift Eleazar All these were va iant men of war When Polipus came to them he craftily spake to Mattathias saying Thou art one of the chiefmen in Israel and a man of honor and estimation Come down therefore and all that be with thee worship the Image and strive not against the King that ye may live and not be destroyed Thou shalt be their Prince also if thou shalt be conformable But the Priest in no wise would be seduced by him but rather cursed and reviled him Mattathias had an Altar at the foot of the hill whereupon when he had offered sacrifice to the most blessed God there came one of the wicked Israelites out of Polipus Camp and killed upon it a swine This villain was young and lusty but the Priest was old yet when he saw what this lewd fellow had done crying to his God to strengthen him he challenged a combat between himself and the fellow Which thing being liked both of the fellow and of Polipus with his whole army Mattathias came down with his drawn sword in his hand and the fellow stood against him ready to receive him But the Priest rushing upon him by the assistance of his God overcame him cut off his head and cast his carcass upon the Altar whereat Polipus and his whole Hoast were much astonied beholding one another The Priest stood still by the Altar crying which of you will come to me man for man Then Polipus picked out a strong champion the best of all his army and brought him out of the arreis of his hoast to teach him his lesson how he should behave himself with the Priest The Priest therefore drew toward the camp with his naked sword in his hand as though he came to joyn with their champion but leaving him he turned his sword upon Polipus struck of his
head and fled to the hill Then blowing their horns and making a shout together they rushed down upon the Grecians camp But when the Grecians saw that their grand Captain was slain they fled Chasmoname and his sons with all Israel followed the chase overthrew them and made great slaughter This done Mattathias the Priest went to Jerusalem puâ—…ified the Temple restored the worshipping of God and commanded all that were born during the time of Polipus to be circumcised for by the means of his inhibition they were uncircumâ—…sed Thus being established he sate upon the Throne of the Kiugdom and drove the Greeks out of the Land of Israel His kingdom endured one year which was the 212. year from the building of the second House After this he fell sick and like to die charged his sons to keep the observations of the Lord and to walk in his wayes also to play the men against the Grecians for the Religion of the Lord. Then brought he forth Judas a tall man a hardy and placing him in the Sanctuary took a horn of oyl and poured it upon his head whereat the Israelits clapped their hands and gave a great shout saying God save the King God save the King Soon after Judas gathered an Army of Israel and made an expedition against the Remnant of the Greeks that were left in the Holds of Israel and whatsoever he took in hand God gave it good successe Notwithstanding Antiochus sent against him a Puissant Army under the leading of one Captain Pelonius against whom Judas so warred that the Grecians went to wrack for he espied his time when they were destitute of victuals and speedily set upon them beat them down handsmooth and approached to Captain Pelonius slew the valiantest about him yea and him also When Antiochus heard this he was in a great rage wherefore he chose out a most valiant Captain called Lysias and sent him against Jerusalem with 1000. Horsemen and Footmen without number Judas having knowledge thereof commanded a Fast throughout all Israel for three dayes and afterwards took Muster of all his Army and made over them Captains of thousands hundreds fifties and tens These said to their souldiers Whosoever is afraid c. Whereupon many of the people returned home yet there remained 7500. of such courage all that one would not have run away for a hundred Lysias divided his Hoast into three parts committing them unto three Captains Nicanor Bagris and Ptolomy But after the Israelits had once given a great shout the Lord beat down the Greeks so that the Israelits destroyed nine thousand of their enemies and spoiled the whole Hoast and they that remained alive took themselves to flight The next day King Judas kept his Sabbath together with all Israel in the Temple for the battel was upon the sixth day The morrow after the Israelits returned to the spoil of those that were killed and after to pursue other that were not able to resist but they found none for they were fled into Astaroth Karnaum During the time of these Wars Antiochus invaded the Land of Persia for they had moved War against him and done injury wherefore he fought against him but having the overthrow at their hands he returned to Antiochia with great shame where also he found his Armies with another dishonour and foil Wherewith he was in such rage that he gathered together all the valiantest and best Warriours in all Grecia yea all that were able to bear weapons swearing he would bring with him such an Army that all the ground about Jerusalem should not suffice them to stand upon whom he would have with him even for his footmen only And he set forward his Horsemen with horses and wagons laden with all manner of munition for the Wars as Bows Shields Targets Swords and Spears Brestplates and Morions besides a great number of Elephants and such that twelve valiant men might fight upon one Elephant the Elephants being to them as a fortresse But King Judas taking heart to him put his trust in his God and joyned battel with him At length when he with the power of Israel approached to the Elephants they â—…lew them down right so that the Elephants roared the Horses and all the beasts that drew the baggage and furniture were very sore afraid King Antiochus also being mounted upon his Mare and not able to sit her in her flight was thrown down His servants therefore finding him took him up and bare him a while upon their shoulders and being a corpulent and grosse man they were not able to carry him further but cast him down in the way The Lord had plagued him also and his whole Host before with a dry scab or rotten mattier and with other most horrible diseases therefore as he saw all these things he confessed it to be the hand of God Whereupon he made a vow that if he escaped he would circumcise himself with all his souldiers and would convert them to the worshipping of the God of Israel but God heard him not He â—…ed therefore a foot as well as he might and died by the way through his grievous and sore diseases and Opiter his soâ—… reigned in his stead King Judas with all Israel returned with great joy to the house of the Lord offered sacrifice and as they had laid wood upon the Altar and the sacrifice upon that they called unto the Lord lovingly to accept their sacrifice and in the mean space fire came forth of the Altar by its own accord consuming the sacrifice and the wood the like never chanced unto them to this day This miracle was wrought the 25. day of the moneth Elul or August The King made an expedition also into Arabia to war upon the people thereof and made of them a great slaughter brought them into subjection and made them tributaries In his return he set upon a great City of the Greeks wan it and razed it After that he made a road into Greece ten dayes journey where came against him with a mighty Army the chief man in King Opiters Realm next his person but Judas discomfited him and all his people From whence he went to the City Sypolis that was under the Romans where came forth to meet him Godolias with a royal Present informing him that they had ever born the Israelits good will were their neighbours and shewed them pleasures The King examined the matter and found their words true so receiving their Presents departed thence After this Gorgorius a Captain of the Romans moved War with Judas but Judas struck a battel with him and destroyed his whole Army so that none escaped Opiter son of Antiochus hearing what acts Iudas â—…d in all Countries round about he mustred all his people levyed a puissant Army wherewith he came and besieged Bethar Then cryed Iudas and all Israel to their God with fasting and sacrifices The night after Iudas divided his men into certain bands commanding them to give the Grecians a Camisado
this unto our Lord the anointed of God He was the King and high Priest what though he were a sinner yet his death shall be an expiation for all his iniquities Therefore we will bewail him and mourn for him yea we will carry his coffin our selves on our necks and bury him as it becometh a Kings Majesty and so they did The time that he had raigned was xxvii years after him raigned his wife Alexandra in his stead for the Pharisees after they had finished the seventh day of the morning they committed the Kingdom unto her She had two sons by the King the Elder was called Hircanus the other Aristobulus Hircanus was a just man and a righteous but Aristobulus was a Warriour and a man of courage besides that of a familiar and loving countenance He favoured also the learned men and followed their instruction But Hircanus his elder brother loved the Pharisees On a time therefore when the Queen sate in the throne of her Kingdom she cal'd the antients of the Pharisees before her honored them and commanded to release and set at liberty all such Pharisees as the King her husband and her father in Law had cast in prison and taking the Pharisees by the hands she commanded all Israel to obey their ordinances Then made she Hircanus her son high Priest and Aristobulus Lieutenant of the Wars She sent also to all the Lands that her husband and father in Law had subdued and demanded the noble mens sons for pledges which she kept in Jerusalem So the Lord gave to the Queen quietness from all that were under her subjection She gave also the Pharisees authority over the learned sort putting them in their hands to order at their will Whereupon straight way they found one Dogrus a great man amongst the learned sort whom they slew and much people besides of the Ancients of that Sect so that the Sectaries were in great distress They gathered themselves together therefore and came to Aristobulus the Lieutenant of the wars and with him they came to the Queen saying unto her Thou knowest the enmity that is between us and the Pharisees which hate thy husband and father in law yea and thy children also We were his men of war that went with him in all his affairs aided him now thou hast given us into their hands to be murthered and banished out of the Land What will Hartam King of Arabia do when he heareth this that we shall forsake thee He will come and revenge him of all the battel that thy husband fought against him Yea the Pharisees will take his part and deliver thee and thy children into his hands that there shall not be left unto Hircanus the King and his Son Alexander thy husband any name or remnant at all The Queen gave them no word of answer whereat Aristobulus was angry and letted not to utter it to his mothers face but she would not hear him Wherefore Aristobulus counselled the Sectaries to go their waies and depart out of Jerusalem to choose them Cities in the land of Juda where they might dwell with their honor and not to suffer themselves to be slain under the Pharisees hands Wherefore departing from Jerusalem they dwelt in the Cities of Juda Not long after this it fortuned the Queen fell fore sick that she was like to dye whereof when Aristobulus heard he feared least the Pharisees would make his brother Hircanus King and at length apprehends him wherefore he fled away by night to the Ciâ—…y of the Saducees to be their head and make war upon his brother if he should presume to Raign He came therefore to the Prince of the Saducees called Galustius who was a good man of war And after he had gathered a strong army of the Saducees his mother the Queeen sent unto him that he should return unto her which he would not do but rather went to war with the nations that dwelt about him where he won twenty Cities and got him great renown thereby Now as the Queen his mother waxed sicker and sicker the chief Pharisees came unto her with her Son Hircanus weeping before her and saying how they were afraid of her son Aristobulus who if he should come into Jerusalem and take it he would deliver them up into the hands of the Saducees Unto whom she answered I am as you see at the point of death not able to talk much with you there is here in my house great treasure that my husband and my father gathered and their parents Kings of the posterity of Chasmonany take that to you and make my son Hircanus King over you If Aristobulus will disturb him and make war against him ye may leavy men of war therewith and succour him as you think good And even with this she fainted and dyed and was buried amongst her people after she had raigned nine years over Israel The Pharisees therefore and Priests with all the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Hircanus her son King in her stead Aristobulus hearing tidings of these things assembled his Army and came toward Jerusalem to fight against his brother But Hircanus met him and encountred with him nigh unto Jordan Jericho The Saducees of Aristobulus host were good men of war and too strong for the Pharisees wherefore Hircanus and the Pharisees had the overthrow at Aristobulus and the Saducees hands who with this victory proceeded forth to Jerusalem besiegeâ—… it and brought it to great distress Wherefore the Priests and the Ancient of the people consulted together and came forth to Aristobulus fell prostrate on the earth before him and besought him that he would not scatter abroad the inhabitants of the Lord. He condescended unto their desires upon these conditions that he should enter into Jerusalem with them and be King and his Brother Hircanus should be High Priest whereupon they agreed Then as Aristobulus entred into Jerusalem his brother came out of the Sanctuary to meet him and with embracing he kissed him So Aristobulus was King and Hircanus executed the office of the High Priest The Lord also gave Israel rest and peace for a while But afterward the Lord sent an evill spirit among them which was the cause of translating the Kingdom from the stock of Chasmonany and of the destruction of his posterity for the sin of Hircanus the great and the sin of Alexander his Son in that they shed so much innocent blood and drew Israel from the obedience of the Prophets unto the lies and trifles of the Saducees For thus it chanced The Saducees beat into Aristobulus head that as long as his Brother Hircanus lived he nor his Kingdom could never be established Whereupon Aristobulus devised how to make away Hircanus which thing a certain man called Autipater was aware of a man of most power in all Israel and thereto also a wise expert and learned in all wisdom both in the laws and in the knowledge of the Greek just of his word and prudent in any strange
or new matters chanced His off-spring was not out of the Children of Israel but of those Romans which chanced to be vanquished and become subject under the dominion of the Israelits being but strangers and of no Noble house in Israel He had foure Sonnes Joseph the Eldest the next Pâ—…silus the third Herod and the fourth Pheroras these had also a sister called Salumith Antipater favoured Hircanus so entirely for his justice and uprightness sake that he opened unto him his brother Aristobulus and the Saduces intent giving him counsell to flye to Hartam King of Arabia but Antipater himself went before to break the matter to Hartam of whose coming Hartam was very glad Then Antipater declared to him how Harcanus was in mind to flye unto him because of Aristobulus his Brother If thou wâ—…lt help him saith he and lend him speedy aid thou shalt easily set Aristobulus beside the Kingdom for all Israel is inclined to Hircanus and favour not Aristobulus Hartam answered I am afraid of the Jews and their craftiness Alexander his Father put me thrice to the foil in battel by his subtilty and took my dominions from me Then Antipater swore unto him He shall be saith he thy true and trusty friend to do whatsoever thy heart desireth Thus Hartam was perswaded and they made a league together Then Antipater turned to Jerusalem caused Hircanus to flye in the night and they both went together to the King of Arabia who much rejoyced at Hircanus coming and received him honorably When they came together to intreat of the league Hartam demanded restitution of such Cities as Hircanus Father had taken from him to whom Hircanus consented in all things Wherefore Hartam raised all the people of Arabia and led them to Jerusalem to war upon it To Hircanus also came all the men of Juda save only they that dwelt at Jerusalem so betwixt them they beset the City round about It fortuned that in the solemnity of the Paâ—…seover they could not have their service of the solemnity in the holy place because of the wars whereupon a certain just and perfect man of the Town called Honyauriga brake out privily into the Camp of Hircanus and Antipater his counseller and besought them with much prayer and tears that they would grant a truce unto Jerusalem while the feast of sweet bread lasted that they might execute the service of solemnity in the Holy place To whom Hircanus said Thou art a just man and often when thou hast prayed the Lord hath heard thee pray now therefore unto the Lord to deliver Aristobulus into our hands and that Israel may rest Honyauriga answered Am I a God or able to remove battels that be stirred up for many mens iniquities Thus when he seemed to be unwilling to pray Hircanus men compelled him drawing their swords and saying it thou wilt not pray thou shalt dye for it Therefore as he saw his life in jeopardy he cryed unto the Lord O Lord everlasting which hast chosen thy people Israel out of all people and hast set thy Name in his house may it please thy Majesty to plant among the children of Israel friendship and brotherhood take away from â—…mong them this hatred which is risen of nothing and let not the one of these factions prevail against the other seeing they all be thy Servants and children of thy Covenant When the servants of Hircanus heard him say so they ran upon him with their swords and killed him But God deferred not his vengeance for he struck the host as well of the Arabians as of Hircanus with a grievous pestilence CHAP. II. AT the same time came from Rome a famous Captain called Pompeius to war against the country of Armenia This Pompeius sent one of his chief men to Damasco of whom as Aristobulus thus besieged had heard and that an Army of the Romans was come to Damasco he sent him a present of four hundred pound weight in gold desiring him to remove the Army of the Arabians from him and to raise the siege In those daies all the world obeyed the Romans That Captain therefore writ unto Hartam King of Arabia in this wise Depart from Jerusalem if not thou shalt understand thou hast broke thy league with the Senate of Rome and the whole Army of the Romans shall shortly invade thy Land Hartam on the sight of this letter raised his fiege and departed from Jerusalem Hircanus also and Antipater departed with shame and reproach Aristobulus upon that gathered a power and pursued after them gave the Arabians and Israelites that took Hircanus part a great overthrow and after returned to Jerusalem with much joy Shortly after Pompeius came to Damasco where Aristobulus presented him with a Vine of gold marvellous artificially wrought The roots of the Vine leavs clusters and Grapes that were upon it were pure gold the weight whereof was five hundred pound Pompeius was very gâ—…ad thereof and sent it to Rome to the Consul And the whole bench of the Senate which was of the number of three hundred and twenty Senators wondered at the cunning and wit of him that made it and with great joy they bare it into the Temple of their gods placing it in the presence of the great Idol Jupiter so called after the planet Jupiter Pompeius writ his Letters to Aristobulus with great thanks and commendation for the same assuring him how both he and the whole Senate favoured him and that he should have a friend of him to speak in his cause as long as he lived Hircanus hearing of this was clean dashed and in despair But Antipater comforted him saying let not the friendship that is betwixt Pompeius and thy brother dismay thee I will go to him and make him thy friend Upon that he went to Pompeius and perswaded his mind to hate Aristobulus and to favour Hircanus informing him thus If thou saith he defend Hircanus all Israel will be content to be under thy protection for they love him every man but if thou defend Aristobulus the people will not obey thee for they hate him Pompeius charged him that no man should be made privy to their communication For I quoth he will send for Aristobulus to come to me to Damasco and then I will cause to be laid hands upon him and deliver him bound to his brother restoring the Kingdom to him Aristobulus upon the sight of Pompeius letters resorted unto him Hircanus also came from the rock of the wilderness and as they appeared together before Pompeius Antipater desired him that he would do justice betwixt Hircanus the King and Aristobulus his brother that rebelled against him and took his Kingdom from him without cause whose sayings a thousand of the Elders of Israel stood up and witnessed to be true Aristobulus answered I never strove with him for the Kingdom untill such time as I saw all these that made Hircanus King to run in great obloquie and to sustain much reproach because he was
Rome Pagurus therefore having made Antigonus King of Jerusalem returned home into Persia carrying Hircanus as prisoner with him But Augustus appointed Herod to be King over all Iuda giving to him a very strong Army of the Romans to obtain it withal In the way thither Herod met with Alexandra Hircanus daughter and Marimi her daughter that she had by Alexander son of Aristobulus and brought them again into the Land of Israel where he took Marimi to wife and solemnized the Marriage with her in the Mount of Galilee for there the chief of all Israel dwelt with whom he took peace Marcus Antonius companion in Office with Octavian Augustus about that time made a voyage through all the West Countries to subdue them to the Romans together with Egypt Damasco and Syria Him Herod accompanied to the flood of Eupbrates and helped him not a little For the Arabians lay in wait for him in the way and intercepted all that would aid Marcus Antonius Herod met with them and vanquished them Wherefore Antonius was very glad of Herods valiantness and brought him again to Israel together with Cassius his Captain and Lieutenant of the wars having also his Letters to all the Captains of Syria this tenor Ye shall understand that our lord and Master Octavian Augustus King of Kings hath appointed Herod the son of Antipater to be King of all the Land of Juda. Therefore as soon as these Letters come unto you ye shall with speed aid him No man shall be excused all that can bear Arms shall go with him to Jerusalem to vanguish Antigonus the Kings adversary whoso refuseth to go with him it shall be 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to slay him forthwith I Maâ—…cus 〈◊〉 have sworn by my sword I will not When the Captains of 〈◊〉 â—…ad râ—…d 〈◊〉 they râ—…orted wholly to Herâ—…d so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was wonderfully increased sent one Pompeius 〈◊〉 of his â—…ars against them who fought a sore 〈◊〉 with them that much people were slain on 〈◊〉 sides 〈◊〉 King 〈◊〉 brother was slain in thaâ—… 〈◊〉 Noâ—…withstanding at the length Antigonus Host went to the worâ—…t and had the overthrow Sâ—… 〈◊〉 and Cassius proceeded to Jerusalem and beseged iâ—… 〈◊〉 third year after Herod was made king of Israel And when they had battered down a piece of the walâ—… Cassius with the Romans entred into the Town and made a great slaughter in Jerusalem They entred also into the Sanctuaâ—…y and attempted to enteâ—… into the Sanctâ—…m Sâ—…nctorum but Herod and his men lept between it and them and stood with their drawn swords in the Temple door to withstand their enterprises Herod was also dâ—…spleased with Cassius for his 〈◊〉 and said If ye will destroy all the inhabitants of the City upon whom shall I reign in the kingdom that Augutus bath given me Wherefore straâ—…ght-waâ—… Cassius caused proclamation to be made through all his Host that no man upon pain of death should kill on Israelite more This done Herod apprehended Antigonus and delivered him bouâ—…d to Cassius He rewarded also Cassius Souldiers both with Gold and Silver Then Cassius offered a Present unto the Lord a Crown of Gold for he was sore afraid of Gods displeasure because he had fought against the holy City That done he took his journey and returned into Egâ—…pt and Antigonus as prisoner with him Thither sent Herod unto him a royal reward to make away Antigonus and to murder him fearing least he should make claim unto the Kingdom again Whereunto Cassius consented and slew Antigonus CHAP. III. THus was the kingdom surely established to Herod Then made he wars upon all the Nations that were about him constraining them to become tributaries by which means he grew to such power as never any of his Predecessours were to be compared unto him After all this Pagurus king of Persia released out of prison Hircanus son of Alexander and promoted him to be head of all the Israelites that were fled into the Land of Sennaar and into the Dominion of the Persians and he became their King This Hircanus had a fervent desire to see the holy City and the house of the Sanctuary also how Herod whom he took for his son and his kingdom did Herod hearing that Hircanus who had been prisoner at Babylon was now set at liberty and in great honour he was afraid of him mistrusting least the Israelites would restore unto themselves the kingdom of their Fathers wherefore he cast in his mind how to do him a mischief He then writ this letter unto Pagurus the contents whereof were such Thou shalt understand that Hircanus is he that brought me up and used me even as his Son Now therefore since I came to be King in Jerusalem I have called to my remembrance the goodnesse that he hath done to me wherefore my desire is to reward him according to his benefits therefore I require thee to send him to me otherwise assure thy self of wars between thee and the Israelites with their confederates Pagurus having read this letter sent to Hircanus giving him to understand that if he would go to Herod he might but notwithstanding Herods threats he ceased not to give to Hircanus all good counsel he could advising him to take heed of Herod because he is saith he a blood-shedder and a breaker of his League And he hath called thee for no love he beareth thee but because he feareth thee As long as thou livest shall he never sleep soundly lest the kingdom should be devolved unto thee It is better for thee to remain here in some honour though it be not of such estate than to go thither to die with greatdispight and end thy old age with a bloody death Furthermore thou shalt know such is the disposition of mens hearts If there be two men the one in honour the other in contempt after time shall come that the despised shall be had in honour and the honoured be neglected never will he that is now honoured and before was in contempt be content to see him that was before honoured nor speak friendly to him For he will think hi herto according to his accustomed manner he hath despised me how much more when his Dominion is taken from him and his servants reign in his room Moreover Herod knoweth right well that meâ—…s hearts are inclined to him that is the true King And it might be so if thou werâ—… meet for the Priesthood that he would promote thee unto it and be Governour of the kingdom himself But seeing thou art dismembred having one of thy eares cut off and thereby art unmeet for the Priesthood thou shalt remain in Jerusalem deprived both of kingdom and Priesthood which is uncomely for thee Such counsel gave Pagurus King of the Persians unto Hircanus yea and all the Jews that were in Babylon besought him that he would not go unto Herod Notwithstanding he would not be perswaded and why For it was the Lords will and his deed that the injury done
unto the Sages whom his father and grandfather slew and the injury commiâ—…ted to Honyauriga might return upon his head and be reyenged so that no remnant of the house of 〈◊〉 no name no residue no kinsman oâ—… posterity should be left alive Hircanus therefore took his journey toward Jerusalem and Herod came forth to meet him eâ—…mbraced him aâ—…d kissed him after brought him to his house and feasted him daâ—…y calling him his father before all men albeit in his heart he conspired to kill him which Alexandra his daughter and Mother in law to Herod knew well enough who opened it unto Hircanus but he would not credit her at the first till on a time he perceived the matter clear to be so then devised he how to flye to Maloc King of Arabia he sent therefore to Maloc to send him horses and a Chariot to flye withall but the Messenger dealt unfaithfully and lewdly with him for he brought Hircanus letters privily unto Herod who rewarded him well for his labour and bad him go to Maloc and to let him know what answer Maloc gave The Messenger upon this went and delivered the letters to Maloc who fulfilled Hircanus request sent him horses and a Charlot writing in this sort I have sent thee horses and horsemen come therefore unto me and whatsoever thy heart desireth I will do it for thy sake So the Messenger brought the answer secretly to Herod whereupon he sent straight to the place in which he understood Malocs men to lurk waiting for Hircanus and caused to apprehend them alive Then Herod commanded to call together the Elders before whom he willed also Hircanus to be brought and of him the King demanded tell me whither thou hast written any letter to Maloc King of Arabia he answered I writ none Then was Ristius the Messenger brought in as his acuser and the men of war also of Arabia that were apprehended who declared the whole matter before the Council so that Hircanus was quite dashed Then the King commanded him to be put to death and so was the kingdom established unto Herod The time that Hircanus raigned was 40. years and 6. moneths After the death of his mother he raigned 3. years and Aristobulus his brother removed him making him Priest Again 3. years after he returned to his kingdom and raigned 40. years Then Antigonus son of Aristobulus deposed him cutting off his ear and banished him out of the holy City So after when Herod his servant came to the kingdom he returned to Jerusalem and Herod shed his blood guiltless yet notwithstanding he had delivereâ—… Herod from the hands of the Elders who would have put him to death for the death of Hizkias From that time Hircanus wrought no evil in the sight of the Lord nor offended him in any great matter save only in this that he bare too much with Herod in shedding the innocent blood wherefore his own life went for the other Therefore happy is he that never forgetteth any part of his duty Marimi the daughter of Alexander the son of Aristobulus the Wife of Herod had a brother whose name was Aristobulus him Herod would in no wise promote to the high Priesthood because he feared the children of Chasmonany although his wife made earnest suite and lay sore upon him for the matter But the King made high Priest one that was nothing of the kindred of Chasmonany whose name was Haniel Notwithstanding when he had once dispatched Hircanus his wives Progenitors father of Alexandra his mother in law then he deposed Haniel the high Priest and preferred his wifes brother Aristobulus to the dignity who although he were but a child yet he was wise and of good understanding and beautifull withall so that in all Israel was not a goodlier nor hansomer young man than he was And this Haniel was the first that ever was deposed from that office of the high priest-hood for never did King of Israel attempt the like afore Herod who did this to quiet his wife and to fulfill his mother in laws mind notwithstanding this Alexandra his wives mother was not content nor satisfied for the death of her Father was such a grief but alwaies spake snappishly to the King that he committed her to ward Then she writ to Cleopatra Queen of Egypt wife unto M. Antonius a Noble man of Rome declaring unto her all the mischief that Herod had done to the posterity of Chasmonany and desiring of her aid to whom Cleopatra made this answer if thou canst find the means to come to me secretly thou shalt perceive what I shall do for thee When Alexandra had read the Letter she sent to Aristobulus her son the high Priest shewing him that she would flye to the Sea Japho and from thence would take shipping into Egypt perswading him also to flye with her We will saith she make two Coffers one for me and another for thee and we will with rewards allure our Servants to carry out us privily whereby we may flye to save our lives This their device was perceived of one of Herods Servants who forthwith made the King privy unto it The King commanded his Servant that bewrayed them that when they did convey the Coffers they should bring them to him which the servant did So when the Coffers were brought to the Kings presence he caused them to be opened and took out Alexandra and her son Aristobulus to whom the King spake sharply and rebuked them sore But Alexandera answered him again as short insomuch that the King moved with anger flung away from her into his chamber saying It is better to fit solitary in a corner of the house than with a brawling and scolding woman in an open place The King dissembled the matter and shewed no great displeasure a year after As Aristobulus the high Priest apparralled in his Pontificial vestures stood in the temple nigh unto the Altar to offer sacrifices the Israelits beheld his beauty his wisdom and behaviour in the ministery whereat every man rejoyced praising God that had not taken all away but left one to revenge the injuries done to the house of Chasmonany The King hearing this was sore afraid and not a little displeased thinking to himself the Israelits would restore the Kingdom of their fathers unto him He perceived every mans heart to be enclined towards him Wherefore he deliberated a while and in the feast of the Tabernacles he removed to Jericho with all his houshold whereas he made a great feast to all his nobles and servants placing them every one after hiâ—… degree before him Aristobulus the high Priest he seâ—… upon the right hand And as they eat drank and made merry certain of the Kings servants were disposed to go swim in Jordan To these the King had given secret commandment that they should desire Aristobulus to go and bath with them in Jordan and then to drown him So when they were going they came to Aristobulus and moved him to keep them
thy Sisters husband to poyson me When Herod heard this he was exceedingly abashed that Joseph had disclosed his secret and began to mistrust with himself that which Salumith had told him that he had slept with his wife indeed and upon that detected that secret Therefore he departed out of his palace in a great anger and rage whereby Salumith perceived that he detested Marimi and therefore she accused her further suborning false accusers and forgers of lyes to witnesse that Marimi would have poisoned the King whereof she had divers presumptions also by her countenance She added moreover if thou saith she to the King let her escape thus she will speedily destroy thee and bereave thee of thy Kingdom the law giveth a man this counsâ—…l If any man go about to murther thee prevent him and slay him fiâ—…st With this and such like words she so moved the King that he commanded to bring Marimi forth and to be beheaded in the high street of the City And as she was brought forth into the Market place of the City all the women of the City followed her Alexandra her Mother also cursed and railed at her saying Come out thou that hast abhorred thy Husband and conspired against thy Lord Alexandra wept also as though it had been for the wickednesse that her daughter had committed thinking surely to please the King by that means and to blear his eyeâ—… if peradventure he might suffer her to live till she might have opportunity to poison him Marimi thus going to execution held her peace and looked neither to the right hand nor to the left nor yet feared death any thing knowing that she was innocent in deed and thought and therefore God would render her a good reward in the World to come wherefore she bared her Neck without fear and they cut off her head shedding the innocent blood But God made no delay in punishing the same for there fell a sore plague and pestilence in the house of Herod so that his chief servants his Noble women and Concubines died sore thereof yea throughout all Judea raigned vehemently which afflâ—…ctions all Israel knew well enough chanced unto them for the blood of Marimi They câ—…yed therefore unto the Lord saying wilt thou for the offence of one man deal so cruelly with the whole congregation the Lord took pity therefore upon the land and withdrew the plague from the people The King repented him also that he had shed blood without a cause and love so grew in his heart that he was sick and at deaths door Then Alexandra Marimis mother sought means how to poyson him which being uttered unto the King he commanded to apprehend her and to kill her In this manner dealt Herod with all the posterity of the Machabees leaving none alive that were called by the name Herod put to death also Josephat the husband of Salumith The King had two Sons Alexander and Aristobulus by Marimi his wife They were both at Rome when their Mother suffered for their Father the King had sent them thither to learn the Roman tongue When they heard tidings of their Mothers death they wept and mourned for her hating their Father for his cruelty Soon after the King their father recovered of his sickness was established in his Kingdom builded strong Cities and rose to great prosperity In the thirteenth year of his Raign therefell a great dearth in the land wherefore the King took out of his treasure much gold and silver and precious stones wherewith he sent into Egypt and procured plenty of corn and refreshed with bread all that lackt and were in distress of hunger yea he spared not his own proper goods And not only to the Israelits shewed he this liberality but also to all that came unto him out of other strange Nations hearing of his renown Moreover in all his wars he had good fortune Besides this he thought it good to renew the house of the Sanctuary whereupon he deliberated with the Israelits to have their advice for the building of it after the same quantity and measure that Solomon King of Israel had builded it For the Jews returning from captivity in the time of Coresch began to build it after the measure that Coresch prescribed them and not as it was before The King of Israel hearing that the King was purposed to pull down the Temple to the ground and build it afresh they made hâ—…m no answer fearing lest when he had pulled it down he would not be so hasty to build it up again But the King perceiving what they feared in their minds said he would not slack the matter nor rest till he had brought it to pass He said moreover that he would take out of his treasury plenty of gold and silver and give it to graving also precious stones stones of Thasies and Marble To the Carpenters also and Masons he would deliver Timber and Stones Gold and Silver Brass and Iron to make all things necessary to the work Wherefore if he pulled down the House he was able to build it straight waies again So he pulled down the House and repaired it again and finished it in length a hundred cubits al of white Marble so that the whole height of the stone was in all a hundred and twenty cubits For the Foundation was twenty cubits within the ground and a hundred above The breadth of every stone was twelve cubits and the thickness thereof eight cubits every stone was of like bigness The gates of the House he covered with fine gold and precious Stones finely set therein the thresholds were of Silver and the tops also He made also a Vine of gold a marvellous cunning piece of work the arms thereof or bigger branches were glittering gold the lesser branches slips or latest shoots of gold somewhat red and all above was yellow gold whereupon hung clusters of Crystall The Vine was so great that it weighed a thousand pound weight of pure gold In all the world was not the like to be seen He made also a porch and before the porch two walls of Silver marvellously and cunningly wrought Behind the house toward the West he made a court of a hundred fifty cubits long and a hundred in breadth which was paved with pure Marble Toward the south and north the length of the court was also a hundred and fifty cubits and a hundred in bredth He erected in it also a hundred and fifty Pillars of white Marble in 4 rancks The length of one ranck was fourty cubics and every Pillar was fourty cubits high and three cubits thick The pillars were all of like measure as the Court of the North side and of the South was also of like measure with all the pillars thereof Towards the east the court contained seven hundred and twenty cubits even to the brook Cedron no man ever saw the like building in all the world The Vine that he made placed he before the porch In â—…he extream parts of
the Court he made also walks and galleries of such height that they that walked therein might easily see the waters running in the brook Cedron by the space of a Cubit Between the porch and the house also as though it were a vail or partition the King made a wall of Silver of half an handfull thick In the which was a door of beaten gold and upon the gate a sword of gold of twelve pound weight There were certain Posies graven in the sword as this What stranger soever approached nigh here let him dye for it So the things that Herod made in the Temple were wonderfull neither was there ever heard of in all the world any King that was able to erect such a building When the work was finished the King sent to Saroas his pastures for his Cattel from whence were brought him three hundred young Bullocks and very many sheep according to his Princely estate So then they dedicated and hallowed the house with great joy and gladness There was one certain day in the year when as the King was accustomed to make a great feast to all his Court to all his Nobles and Sages in Israel Against that self same day the King was minded to finish his works which made both him more glad and all his people The same also was commanded to be done in all the Provinces of his Kingdom sending his Letters by his Pursuivants to the Noble men Captains and Presidents of the Provinces that they would observe that day after the same manner every year The people also that were squandred in their enemies countries their head Rulers and Captains came out of every Country far and neer to see the House and the King for they could never believe it till they had seen it and when they had seen it it exceeded far that they had heard of it These things done the Kings two Sons Alexander and Aristobulus which he had by Marimi came home from Rome to Jerusalem in a great heat and fury with a strong company yea their hearts were very heavy also for Alexander the elder had married the King of Capadoci as Daughter and Aristobulus the Daughter of Salumith the King his Fathers Sister These coming to Jerusalem went not to the Court to do their duty to the King their Father neither would they see him whereby the King gathered they went devising some mischief against him Moreover all his men gave him warning to take heed of them and to keep his power or Guard about him He had a Wife of base stock out of the Country before he came to the Kingdom by whom he had a son named Antipater And when he had put Marimi his beloved wife to death he called home his wife which he had disdained before to his Court. Wherefore now seeing the two Sons of Marimi hated him he appointed Antipater his son to be heir apparant and to raise his estimation he gave him all his treasure made him Lord and ruler of all that he had affirming that he should raign after him This Antipater had a subtile wit and his talk was daily to his Father If it like your Majesty wherefore should you give me all these things when as these two Lions shall be ever in my top and ready to destroy me By such surmised means he raised discord and hatred between them and their father albeit the King was loath to hurt his two sons Not long after he took his journey to Rome to Octavian and his son Alexander waited on him hoping that Octavian would be a means for him to turn his fathers hatred from him and put all malice out of his mind When the King was come thither Octavian rejoyced much at his coming saying I have thought long to see thee To whom hast thou left the Land of Juda Herod answered for the homage that I owe unto my Lord the Emperour I am come to appear before him and to declare my chances with this my son his Servant So he told him the whole matter from the beginning to the end Then Octavian Augustus blamed the young man because he hated his Father The young man answered How can I otherwise do How can I forget the most chast womb that bare me which was the holy stock If I forget my mother that was slain guilâ—…less and without crime then let me forget my right hand These and such like words spake the young man not without tears in the presence of Octavian so that his bowels were much moved and the Noble men that were about Octavian could not abstain from weeping but lamented greatly Octavian first reproved Herod for his great transgression and cruelty then laboured he to pacify the young man with comfortable words bidding him to honor his Father and to submit himself unto him When he had done as he was willed for he would not strive against the Emperour's commandment Octavian took the young man by the hand and put it into Herods bosome Then his Father kissed and embraced him so that they both wept after that they took their leave and departed from Octavian who comforted them gave them a gift committing it into Herods hands Herod yet perceived that the hatred of the children of Marimi would not be appeased whereupon when he came home to Jerusalem he called together all the Elders of Israel and said unto them I had determined once to place one of my Sons Captain over the people of the Lord but I might not do it without the consent of Octavian Augustus Now therefore I have appointed my three Sons and have divided my Kingdom equally amongst them Help ye them against their enemies but in no wise shall ye help one of them against another And if ye perceive any breach of friendship between them do what lyeth in you to make it up Whereunto he made them swear presently in Jerusalem and the bond being made each man departed home to his house But for all this the hatred between Antipater and his two brethren was nothing diminished for he feared them because they were of the house of Chasmonany and allied with Kings of great power he suborned therefore false accusers to say unto the King that the young men sons of Marimi were determined to destroy him Likewise he set variance between Salumith and them for she was in greater estimation than he insomuch that the King did nothing without her counsell the same wrought he also between Pheroras the Kings brother and them But to Salumith he said doest thou not consider how the sons of Marimi know that their mother was put to death by thy counsell therefore if they may bring to pass to make the King away they will hew thee to pieces But when the young men heard this they came before the King and swore they never intended to hurt their Father and with weepâ—…ng they so perswaded the King that he believed them and they got his favour again whereat Antipater was not a little displeased
Gold and Silver as chaffe and stones he kept Israel in peace from all his enemies he buiâ—…ded also a fairer Temple than King Solomon but he made the yoke of tribute and exaction in Israel more heavy and gave open ear to evâ—…l tongues He was a cruel blood-shedder of poor and innocent persons and Archelaus his son reigned in his room He willed before his death that they should bury him in the City of Erodion two dayes journey and a half from Jerusalem So they put him in a Coffin covered with Gold set here and there with precious stones The Bed under him was wrought with Gold and full of precious stones likewise upon his head was a cloth of Rayes powdred with precious stones and upon that a Royal Crown made fast to the left side of the Coffin and on the right side was a Regal Scepter upon the Bier was also a cloth of Rayes very thick powdred with precious stones Crystal Amethysts and very many â—…aphirs Then all the chief men of War went about him in their coats of fence and drawn swords in their hands with helmets on their heads as in the time of war After them came Archelaus his son that was made King then followed him all the people There were fifty of his servants that went about the Bier every one having a chaffindish of Gold in his hand wherein they burnt sweet woods and perfumes continually as many as went about him casting upon the Hearse pure Myrrhe He was born by certain great Lords and Noblemen of Israel upon their shouldders going leisurely and with a majesty till they came to Erodion where they buried him with great honour the like was never done to any King These things done there resorted together such as hated Herod and were weary of their own lives whiles he lived rejoycing that they had escaped his hands saying We have looked till our eyes bleared waiting for the death of Herod that Tyrant and bloodshedder that oppressed us with such heavy yokes that left us nothing to live on for the tributes and taxes that he laid upon us yet now Archelaus his son is worse than he Wherefore they consulted together and cast their minds and good will toward Antipater the son of Salumith the Kings Sister one of the blood of Chasmonany and went with him to Octavian Augustus requesting him to translate the kingdom from Archelaus to Antipater but he would not grant them their suite yea he rather confirmed and assured the kingdom to Archelaus who wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord for he married his brother Alexanders Wife that had children by Alexander and committed many great offences The ninth year of Archelaus's raign it chanced upon a night he dreamed a dream He thought he saw nine eares of corn very good and full grown upon one stalk then came a great Oxe and did eate them up all at one bit by and by he awaked and perceived it was a dream therefore calling one of the Sages of Israel unto him he shewed him his dream The wise man said this is the interpretation of it The 9. eares fresh and full be the 9 years which thou hast raigned The great Oxe is the great King Octavian Augustus This year thou shaâ—…t be removed from thy kingdom because thou hast neglected the word of God and hast married thy brothers wife to this Archelaus answered him neither good nor bad Within five dayes after Octavian came towards Jerusalem and when Archelaus wenâ—… to meet him he put him in prison deposed him from the kingdom of Israel and made Antipas his brother King in his stead he turned his name also and called him Herod that done he returned to Rome Whiles Antipater was King died the Emperour Octavian Augustus the 56. year of his raign and Tiberius Caesar succeeded him This Antipas also wrought wickedness and sundry abominations more than any that was before him for he took his brother Philips Wife from him which had already children by Philip for this shameful deed Rabbi John Baptist the high Priest rebuked him wherefore Antipas put him to death There was at that time one Jesus a wise man if it be lawful to call him a Man for he was a worker of wonderfull works and a teacher of such men as gladly did hear the truth and had many Disciples both of the Jews and also of the Gentiles This man was Christ. who after he was accused of the chief Rulers of our Nation and condemned by Pilate to be crucified was nevertheless much beloved by them who loved him even from the beginning To these he appeared the third day alive according as the Prophets by Divine inspiration had told before aswell of this as also of many other things which should be done by him And even to this day the Christian sect which took their name of him continueth Against this man Antipas before named came Tiberius Emperour of Rome to whom when Antipas repaired he apprehended him laâ—…d him in irons and sent him into Spain where he died Archelaus also that was deposed before died in the time of this Tiberius raign Then Tiberius made Agrippa the son of Aristobulus whom Herod put to death Antipas brother King in his stead The time that Antipas raigned over Israel was 11. years In Agrippas time died Tiberius Caesar and Caius succeeded him This Caius called himself a God and would suffer no man to worship any thing in his Empire but himselfe he continued not long in this dignity but decayed and died After him succeeded Claudius Claudius being dead Nero Caesar was Emperor Agrippa raigned over Israel 23 years In his time Nero sore oppressed Israel by setting cruel presidents over them which left them nothing to live upon and besides that he punished them with divers torments until at length they were constrained to rebel against the Roman Empire and Nero Cesar to rid themselves from under his subjection And above all other one Florus president and Captain of the Roman Army most grievously oppressed the Jews and had done many things very wickedly For not onely he shed innocent blood ravishing at his pleasure wives and deflouring maids in the Cities of Juda but also robbed with great cruelty every man of his goods he polluted the Temple and upon the beams thereof he hung those that he took displeasure at It chanced that Beronice King Agrippa's sister came at that time to Jerusalem out of devotion to vifit the holy place She seeing Florus violently oppress the people and for payment of exactions and tallage to slay many of them even at the entrance of the Temple she came forth weeping unto Florus beseeching him to spare the people for she pitied them very greatly Yet Florus relented nothing but when she was departed from him he flouted and mockt her though she were the Kings sister and that in the Temple of the Lord. There was present at that time a valiant young man Eleasar the son of Anani the high Priest
man at that same time for at the commandment of Eleazar the Priest chief of the seditious he set first foot within the Romans camp Then began the Jewish warriours to be famous after they had once so manfully incountered with the Romans This done Castius and Agrippa sent their Embassadours once again to Jerusalem to Eleazar the son of Anani the Priest chief of the rebells that were in Judea and Jerusalem requiring peace and to come in league with Eleazar lest the people of the Jews should be utterly destroyed by the Romans incursions and invasions on every side But Eleazar refused to hear the Legates and slew one of them because he made too many words in perswading the peace and league Upon this Eleazar assembled the Priests and people together to go out and fight with Castius Castius perceiving how Eleazar and the people were affected and what minds they were of how they had utterly conspired to destroy the Romans that were there and to consume them clean having a sufficient trial also of the force and valiantness of the rebels he determined fully to go to Rome for he perceived he was not able to match with the seditious neither his own power to be compared with theirs Wherefore he would go see what end should come of the wars and what counsel Caesars Majesty would give Taking his journey therefore to the City Japho he found there letters of the Romans for thither was their army come From thence went he with them and his own army to Rome and made report to Caesar of such things as have chanced whereat Nero was much abashed and not only he but all the people of Rome were sore astonied to hear of the great puissance and valiantness of the Jews For which cause the Wars ceased for that year so that the Land of Judea was at great rest and quietnesse that year through Eleazers means the head Râ—…bel especially from the hands of wicked Castius that had sworn to revenge the Romans to extinguish the Jews and that he would destroy all the race of them as none should be left alive Therefore these are they that delivered Israel in the time of the second Temple out of the hands of their enemies what time as wars were moved against the Jews and their Country what time also commotions and tumults began in Israel The first War was made by Antiochus the wicked King of Macedonia who had determined not to leave one man in Israel His mischievousnesse proceeded so far that he slew the people of God the Sages and Wisemen Princes Elders and young men children great and small Israelits Levites also and Priests until all the chief men of Judea cast their heads together and went to Matthathias son of Jochanan the High Priest in the Mount of Modiit where he hid himself for the iniquity of Antiochus and his Rulers crying upon him and saying Deliver at this season the people of the Lord and never think to escape thy self whiles the most wicked enemy rangeth thus and runneth upon thy people and sheddeth thy blood For the blood of all Israel What is it but thy blood and the eyes of every man are fixed on thee hoping that thou should'st assist and aid them in this calamity that they may finde deliverance by thy means Matthathias hearing this wept bitterly and said Fear ye not nor let these Macedonians dismay you the Lord shall fight for you Be ye only quiet So then was Matthathias stirred and delivered Israel out of the hands of Antiochus and after he had overcome him he was high Priest for one year and then died In whose room succeeded Judas his son who executed the office in the Temple six years and was slain in battel Then his brother Jochanan was chief in the Temple eight years and died likewise in battel Afterward his brother Simeon was Ruler eighteen years whom Pâ—…olomy his Wifes father poisoned at a Banquet Then Jochanan his son succeeded his father in the office this is he that was named Hircanus first of that name so called because he vanquished a King of that name He reigned 31. years and died After him reigned Aristobulus one year he was called the great King because he first put the Royall Crown upon his head and turned the dignity of the high Priesthood into a Kingdom unhollowing and staining the holinesse thereof 480. years and 3. moneths after the returning of Israel from Babylon He being dead his brother Alexander reigned 27. years After whose death Alexandra his wife held the kingdom nine years and then died In whose stead succeeded her son Aristobulus and reigned 3. years In his time Pompey a Roman Captain came against Jerusalem wan it and apprehended Aristobulus bound him in irons and carried him captive to Rome in whose place he ordained Hircanus his brother to succeed who reigned forty years During his reign rebelled Antigonus son of Aristobulus Hircanus brother and with the aid of an Army of the Persians incountred with Hircanus took him prisoner and sent him to Babylon cutting off his eares that he should never after be meet either for the Priesthood or for the Kingdom Antigonus reigned three years In his dayes Herod fled and joyned himself with the Romans by whose help he slew Antigonus the third year of his reign and reigned after him 32. years and then died After Herod succeeded Archelaus his son who was taken by the Romans the ninth year of his reign laid in bonds and ended his life at Rome Next to him reigned Antipater his brother who changed his name and called himself Herod he reigned full ten years overcame and wasted Spain because the King of Spain had ravished and taken away his brothers Wife and there died After him followed Agrippa son of Aristobulus that was his brothers son he reigned three and twenty years after whose death his son Agrippa reigned twenty years This is that Agrippa of whom we now speak of and of the calamity that befell in his time upon Israel For all the while he reigned the Wars between the Romans and Israel never ceased until the people of Judea were led captive into the Province of the Romans at that time also the Temple was desolate I mean the desolation of the second Temple which we saw with our eyes builded and destroyed The 20. year of the reign of King Agrippa the 9. day of the 5. moneth that is called Ab viz. July Nero Caesar sent a Present for a burnt-offering to be offered in the Temple at Jerusalem requiring peace of the Elders and Sages of Judea and Jerusalem and that they would receive him into league with them saying My request is that you would offer my present to the Lord your God for his service and religion liketh me very well so that I desire you to joyn in league with me according as you have done with the Emperours of Rome my Predecessors in time past I have heard what Castius the Captain of mine Army hath
people of the Lord God of Israel and his Sanctuary with the people of his Inheritance howbeit there be amongst us certain proud men ungodly persons that have made a league with Vespasian and have brought into the Town one of his chief Captains wherefore and it please thee my Lord to enter the City with thy souldiers come unto us that we may live with thee rather than to perish in the hands of them that hate us So they opened the gates so that Ioseph went in and took the Town Then he caused to apprehend those ungodly persons that were there about six hundred men and laid them in irons sending them to Tiarva which he had afore taken the other wicked men that had aided Vespasian he put to the sword But the chief Governour of the Town he apprehended alive carried him out of the City and commanded one of his Souldiers to cut off his hands Then the Captain besought Joseph saying I beseech thee my Lord let one of my hands be cut off and leave me the other Then Joseph and his souldiers laught him to scorn judging him to be no valiant man nor of haughty courage Joseph bad his souldier give him the sword in his own hand and let him cut off which hand he list and leave him which he will So the Roman Captain took the sword and cut off his left hand himself leaving him the right and so he was let go He came therefore unto Vespasians Camp to shew them what shame was done him After this the Citizens of Zippory rebelled also making a league with Vespasian and the Romans host Ioseph being certified of this made thither with his host to besiege it but the Town abid the brunt of the assault that Ioseph could prevail nothing against it wherefore he besieged it a long season About that time it was signified also to them of Jerusalem that the Askalonites had entred in friendship with the Romans They sent therefore Neger the Edomite and Shiloch the Babylonian and Iehochanan with a power of the common people who came to Askalon and besieged it a great space Within the Town was a Roman Captain called Antonius a valiant man and a good Warriour who upon a certain night in the morning watch issued out of the Town with his company to give a Camisado to the Iews that besieged the Town entred their camp and made a great slaughter continuing the same till it was day-light so that about 10000. of the Iews were slain the rest never moved out of the place saying It is better for us to die in this battel than to flee from our enemies therefore they took a good heart unto them and stood manfully in their stations and places trusting in the Lord God of Israel and when it was day they also set themselves in array against Antony slew many of his men not without losse also of their own part for Shiloch the Babylonian and Iehochanan of Jerusalem were destroyed by the Romans with others of the Jews to the number â—…f 8000. fighting men that were under Shiloch and Iehochanan and never a one of the Jewish Captains escaped that conflict save only Neger the Edomite who hid himself in a Sepulcher that was there in the plain whom the Romans in their pursuite sought but found him not wherefore they set on fire the wood that it burnt round about the Sepulcher wherein he lay hid and consumed all the trees shrubs and bushes but came no nigh the Sepulcher For Neger had called to the Lord with his whole heart to deliver him this once from his enemies lest he should be shamefully handled of them promising at another time to be ready to die valiantly in his quarrel So Neger escaped the Romans by the help of the God of Israel in whom he put his trust Shortly after sent the Jerusolimites much people to Askalâ—…n to the number of eighteen thousand good men of war to bury the bodies of the Jews that were slain in the conflicts by Antony They sought also the body of Neger the Edomite but they found it not till at length he cryed unto them out of the Sepulcher saying I am here For God hath delivered me out of the hands of mine enemies to the intent I may be avenged of them in the wars of the Lord. So Neger declared unto them at large all things how they chanced unto him wherefore the Jews rejoyced greatly that they had found him alive and that he was saved by such a miracle and the Lord delivered him Therefore they put their trust in the Lord believing that God would be present with them to aid them whereof this deliverance of Neger they took for a sure token The Romans kept themselves within the Town for fear of the Jews that were come to bury the bodies So the Jews buried all the bodies of their own part that were slain in both battels for the Romans were not able to prohibite and let them but held them in the Town And when the burial was finished they took Neger with them to Jernsalem to give God thanks there for his deliverance at that present Then Joseph the Priest gathered his strength aad came upon Askalon with his whole Army assaulted them got the upper hand and won the Town after slew Antony and all his people with the Sword that of all the valiant men of War that were with him not one escaped Besides this also the Villages and Hamlets that were thereabout without the Town he burnt them all And so served he all the Towns thereabout that had entred into league with the Romans slaying both Iews and Romans that dwelt in them with the sword as many as he found and their houses he burnt This done Ioesph returned again to Zippory sought with them and got the upper hand there shed he much blood of the people that had conspired with the Romans utterly destroyed them burnt their Cities and Villages led their wives and children prisoners unto Ierusalem and all the Romans he found there he put them to death When Vespasian Titus had heard of all that Iosephus had done against the Romans both how he slue their Garrisons as many as he could find in Galilee and all the Iews that had made any league with him and his sons they were wonderful incensed and in agreatrage They took therefore their journey and came to Apitelma otherwise called Acho where at that time Agrippa King of Iudea was abiding and forty thousand men with him all good men of war and archers every one these joyned themselves with Vespasians Army by which means the Romans Camp became very great Moreover out of other Nations round about Iudea good men of war without number joyned with Vespasian He had aid of the best men of war out of Mesopotamia Aremzofa Assur Sinear Persia Chaldea Macedonia and out of the Provinces of the people of the East yea the people of Mizraim Lod Denan and Seba with all Provinces far and near
that were under the subjection of the Jews cast off the yoke from their necks and rebelled against the Dominion of Jerusalem joyning their power with the Roman Army to aid Vespasian and Titus For these were also subjects unto the Jews that sore had burthened them wherefore they came to help the Romans and to invade Jerusalem and the people of the Jews But the Edomites had not associated themselves unto Vespasian and Titus for they were in subjection to the Jews and served them so that not one of them aided the Romans For long before they had moved war against Jerusalem and could not get the victory but the Jews prevailed against them and subdued them Hircanus also the first King of the Jews circumcised them They dwelt also in Jerusalem kept watch and ward about the house of the Lord and his covenant without all rebellion against the Iews and Ierusolimites And at that present was thirty thousand of the best of the Edomites in Jerusalem which kept the walls and the house of the Lord. After this Vespasian and Titus with all their host took their journey from Acho and came to Galilee and in the mount they pitched their tents Wherefore when tidings was brought to Joseph how the host of the Romans lay upon the mount of Galilee and how Vespasian had sent before him a great power to repair the broken waies to fill the holes and cast down the hills to levell the way that his people might pass the better for he was sore moved against the Jews Joseph issued out of Zippory with all his power set upon them and slew them taking such vengeance of them as never was the like before for his God was with him Vespasian and Titus hearing of this determined to set upon Joseph at unawares and to beset all the waies that he should escape of no side but Joseph had intelligence of their coming wherefore he left Zippory and went to Tiberias whither Vespasian followed Joseph perceiving them coming fled from thence to Iorpata the biggest City in Galilee closed up the gates and there remained with his Army Then sent Vespasian certain Noble men Embassadours to Joseph to debate the matter with him in this wise Vespasian Generall of the Roman Army desireth to know what it should avail thee to be thus pend up within a walled town he wills thee rather to come forth to intreat of peace with him and to enter into a league together for it shall be to thy avail to serve Caesar Emperor of the Romans that thou mayest live and not be destroyed nor any of thy people with thee Then Joseph sent Embassadours again to Vespasian demanding truce for a few daies that he might deliberate upon the matter with the people and let them understand his words Peradventure saith he they will be perswaded to make peace with thee and then will we enter league with the Roman Empire So Vespasian ceased from fighting against Joseph permitting him to consult of the thing Upon that Joseph sent Embassadours to all the people at Jerusalem to the Priests Chief men Rulers and to the rest of the people giving them to understand Vespasians mind Ye shall understand brethren that Vespasian Generall of the Romans sent his Embassadors unto me enquiring What it would avail us to be stiffe against them and not rather to come forth and intreat of peace and to joyn in league together that we may serve the Emperour of the Romans so to save our lives and not to be destroyed And I pray ye why will ye lose your lives your wives your sons and daughters Why will ye all fall together on the sword that both they that should be left alive among you shall be led Captive out of your Countrey to a people that they never knew whose language they understand not and your Country to be made desolate your Sanctuary laid wast that there shall not be so much as one man left to enter into it Never suffer this you that be wise men but rather receive my counsell and come hither to us that we may deliberate together what conditions of peace we shall make for the safety of our lives rather than to be destroyed and that we may use the commodities of your Countrey being at peace therein For life and quietness is to be preferred before death and banishment The inhabitants therefore of Jerusalem both Priests Chief men Rulers and Noble men of Judea with the rest of the people sent unto Ioseph saying Take heed to thy self that thou never consent to this to receive conditions of peace with them but be strong to fight till such time as thou shalt consume them or till thou and all the people dye in battel and so shalt thou fight the battel of the Lord for his people and his Sanctuary with the Cities of our God in the mean season be it as it may but let thy power not be with them When Joseph heard the determination of the people of Ierusalem how all sorts with one consent willed by the Embassadors the continuance of the wars he was wonderfull wroth and in a great fury issued out with all his people and set them in array against Vespasian and the Roman host in which conflict were slain very many of the Jews and from that day forward Vespasian began fiercely to war upon the Iews He departed thence to the City Geerara a great City in the highest Galilee besieged it and won it razed it slew all the people Man Woman and Child Oxen Sheep Camels and Asses leaving nothing alive And then he said Now begin I to be revenged for the Romans which the Iews murthered in the land of Iudea From thence he departed and brought his Army to Iorpata where Joseph remained The first day that he incamped about Iorpata he relieved his souldiers with meat and drink plenty and made them good cheer then furnished he every man with weapons So on the next morning early the Roman Army gave a great shout and beset the City round about on every side In this business Ioseph stood upon a certain Tower from whence he beheld the huge camp of the Romans wherefore he sounded forth a Trumpet and gave a sign to battel issued out with the whole power of the Jews that he had with him and set upon the Romans camp at the foot of the hill continuing the fight from morning till night And when it began to be dark they ceased fighting and departed the one from the other the Jews to the town the Romans to their tents In this battel were many slain on both sides as well Jews as Romans The Romans advancing themselves proudly and stoutly said We will quickly vanquish this little Nation as we have subdued all other Nations that we have conquered that they shall annoy us no more and afterwards we shall be at rest The Jews also on the other side encouraged themselves against the Romans saying At this time we will all dye together for the
Cities that stood on hills then they did divide it in parts and bring it up to the siege by piece-meal and there it was set together again Now when the Romans had battered the walls of Jorpata and Joseph perceived them to shake he took great sacks filled them full of chaff and hanged them down by the walls that the horns of the Ram could not come nigh the stones of the wall but light upon the sacks which by reason of the softnesse of the chaff hindred and brake the stroke that the walls were lesse hurt For the nature of soft things is to give back to the hard and to weaken their force But Vespasian seeing the subtilty of Joseph used also policy for policy for he sent into the Town secretly Jews spies which when the batteries should be might cut asunder the cords that the sacks were tyed to and with them slip down the walls where the Romans were ready to receive them that they should not hurt them in the fall and immediately they struck the wall with the Ram. There was at that present in the City a certain valiant man named Eleazer of the house of Anani the high Priest that then dwelt at Jerusalem This Eleazer perceiving the Romans to go about to batter down the wall as they did before plucked out of the wall a mighty stone so that he made a great hole or gap whereat he slid down the wall and stradling did light on the Engine made fast an iron chain to the horns thereof and got again up nimbly and quickly from the beam into the Town with the chain in his hand for the wall was not very high above his head as he stood upon the Ram then the other tall fellows took hold upon the chain fastened it to the pillars and walls in the Town that the Romans might rather be constrained to break their Ram than take it away from thence The Priest Eleazer yet once again boldly went down and sat upon the beam slew fifty men that laboured about the Ram and the rest he put to flight then returned into the Town being drawn up again from the beam to them that were within the Town greatly rejoycing in his manhood After that he went up upon a high Tower from whence he tumbled down with a mighty force a great stone and a hard on the head of the Ram and brake it that both a great part of the head and the hornes fell on the ground For the iron that it was covered withal was old and rusty so that it was much wasted and eaten therewith the ropes were also old After that Eleazar went down again took part of the head that was broken and hurled it into the Town the Romans that remained either he slew or put to flight The Archers shot at him and wounded him with five Arrows wherefore by the help of his fellows upon the wals he climbed up otherwise he had not been able for the grief of his wouuds The people then gave a shout for joy of the victory of the worthy Priest Eleazar that had slain the Romans and broke their Ram wherein they put their confidence and brought part of it into the Town and fastened it with an iron chain that the Romans could not pull it back again to them nor have the use of it afterward wherefore divers of the best Cities of Jorpata armed themselves that day being stir'd with the great courage that they had seen in Eleazar and went down hewed the beam to pieces brought the poyses with the Rings and two masts with them into the town and the same day died Eleazar with great renown as one that had fought for the Sanctuary of the Lord and for his people and Country of Israel like a faithful servant and souldier of the Lord whom all the people mourned for burying him in the Town honouring him for his death worthiness and faithfulnesse appointing him a worthy memory also for that he had waged battel with the enemies of the Lord. The young men of the Jews seeing this and especially two of them the one called Nitra the other Polipas men of great wisdom and understanding and therewith expert in the Wars being moved with zeal of the God of Israel opened the gates and issued against the Romans skirmished with them and slew many of them But at length they were slain themselves in the skirmish for the Sanctuary of their God for Israel their country When Joseph saw the Wars to encrease more and more he issued out and made a great slaughter in the Roman tents burnt the mount and Engines of War that the Romans had left by which means the Wars waxed yet hotter insomuch that Joseph repulsed the Romans For when they saw the Jews so desperately give their lives for their God and Land they would not abide their force Vespasian seeing his men shrink he stood up and encouraged them exhorting them with fair words and promises as well Gold and Silver as meat and drink wherewith the Romans allured fought with Joseph that day unto the Sun-setting and as the battel waxed hot the Jews wounded Vespasian with an arrow in his right leg which sore dismayed the Romans when they saw the blood run down his leg and that day was a sore fight betwen the Jews and the Romans Titus seeing his father wounded being sore abashed ran to him to help him to whom his father said How is it my son that thou art thus astonied Take heart to thee and with a courage revenge thy father of these Jews that have now the better hand of us So both Titus and Vespasian with all their whole host fought that day a sore fight and many were slain on both parts yea very few were left on Josephs part with whom he returned into the Town The next day the Romans raised a new mount instead of that which Joseph burned and planted another iron-Ram thereupon between two posts accordingly for Vespasian had brought four of this sort with him from Rome but other battering pieces upon wheels had he with him thirty what more what lesse the bigger sort were 30. cubits long the lesser ten He brought also ten Engines to hurle great stones withal which he had placed about the walls The Romans therefore renewed the assaults against the Town as they were wont before But the Town was now desolate and naked of the stoutest warlike men for they were all slain in the fights Albeit Joseph remained and a few with him who went every one and the women also to defend the walls for there was almost no men left fit for the War Then the Romans flung with the Engines that stood on the mount stones into the Town on every side It chanced that a great stone hit a woman with child with such violence that it passed through her body and carried the child with it by the space of half a mile They cast up and raised yet other Mounts also from whence they flung
stones And another like chance hapned A stone came and hit one of Josephs men of war a valiant man in such sort that it divided his head from his body and made it fly a large mile off At the same time one of the Roman souldiers devised with himself how to hit Joseph with a venomed arrow and gat him under a wall where Joseph was to accomplish his purpose but Joseph espied him and cryed to him Hold thy hand thou wicked fellow and do not kill me With that the fellow started somewhat aside being afraid at Josephs voice and suddenly the Jews out of the Town poured hot Oyl upon him from the wall and his skin was scalded off and he ran away naked howling and yelling to the Romans Camp where he died Vespasian and his son Titus were fully determined to continue the assault until the 47. day notwithstanding the walls were so high that they could not win the Town Yet at length the men were so spent within the Town that they that remained alive were so wearied with toyling that they were not able any longer to furnish theirwatch upon the wall This upon a certain night Vespasian and Titus understanding scaled the walls at a quarter where watchmen were lacking and after them many more of the Roman souldiers followed which went down on the inside and brake open the great gate of the Town whereat entred the whole Army of the Romans And being within the Town sounded their Trumpets and shouted to battel The Jews with the alarum tumult and hurly burly of the Romans awaked out of their sleep and were sore afraid Notwithstanding every man took him to his weapon and drew to the Market-place as fast as they might They had made the Market-place of the Town so large of purpose that if any businesse should happen there might come together the whole City if they would and as they looked about them they saw the Roman Army entring in at the Town by the way that came from the great gate Then fought they with the Romans and divided even in the Market-place where they stood exhorting one another and saying Let us die here fighting and never suffer our selves to be taken alive But Joseph and forty men with him worthy men all fled away into a wood where they found a â—…ain Cave and hid themselves therein All the 〈◊〉 of the Citizens were slain in that conflict for they would not yield nor commit themselves to the Romans they trusted them so little For on a time a certain Jew besought a Roman souldier to save his life and the Roman sware unto him saying God deal thus and thus with me if I slay thee therefore yield and come hither to me The Jew required him to give his right hand that he might trust him and the Roman reached him his left hand The Jew being dismayed in that great fear mark't not that it was his left hand But when the Roman had once hold of him he kept him fast with that hand and with his right took his sword slew the Jew that then was naked having cast away his weapon upon trust of the Roman When the Jews saw how the Roman regarded not his oath but slew the Jew that upon the trust of his promise and oath had yielded himself unto him they determined to die altogether and never to trust the Romans Whereupon they resolved with themselves utterly to die for the holinesse of the Lord God of Israel but in so doing they slew much people of the Romans and far more than they had done in any other battel yet at length the City was taken When Vespasian had knowledge where Joseph and his company was he sent Nicanor Pilerinus and Callicanus with him to Joseph to will him to come forth and he should have his life and not be slain upon that Joseph debated the matter with them that were with him in the Den requiring their advice For my part saith he if ye will follow my counsel I think it best we go unto them but upon this condition That they will make us a formal assurance of our lives effectually as we shall require them which done I doubt not but Vespasian when we come unto him will extend his favour towards us When these men perceived Joseph to be inclined to yield unto the Romans they said We marvel at thee O Prince Joseph at thee we say that wast chosen out of thousands of people and promoted to the Priesthood and Kingdom to sanctifie and hallow the Lord God of Israel who wast also appointed Captain General of so great an host and hast seen with thine eyes the shameful reproach of thy people with the displeasures and damages of thy Sheep that thou hast yet any desire to live in this dishonour What seest thou that thou wouldest desire to live Should'st thou not rather desire death than life Peradventure thou perswadest thy self that they call unto thee to save thy life or for thy commodity but without doubt this were a vain perswasion For they call thee for none other intent than to take thee alive and to brag how they took Joseph that was consecrated and addicted to the Wars and make it an argument that their power prospereth Now therefore our dear Brother and our Prince consider that this they will do yea if they save thy life But put the case they put thee to death Were it not better for thee to die on thine own sword than on theirs yea if it were for nothing but this it is better for thee to die than live lest thou should'st hear their reproaches their upbraidings and their quarrellings and if they preserve thee alive never think they do it for thy good but rather for thy ignominy and shame which is far more grievous than death it self Wherefore our dear Brother and our Prince What comes in thy mind that thou purposest to live after that thou hast lost thy people and thy brethren And to what purpose serveth thy life after they be 〈◊〉 one Mark diligently what Moses of worthy memory our Master did how he spake before God touching the people of Israel O pardon their sins saith he or else blot me quite out of thy book whiâ—…h thou hast written He would not live after the destruction of his people although the Almighty said unto him Let me alone that I may wreak mine anger upon them and consume them Why dost thou not call unto thy remembrance Aaron his brother that went betwixt life and death in withstanding the Angel that plagued the people and offered himself to die for his people that the plague might cease from Israel Where is King Saul and his son Jonathan that foughtfor the people of God and died in the field Could not Saul have saved his life and his sons both if he had been so disposed But he when he saw Israel had the overthrow in the battel he had no desire to live longer but chose to die rather than to
live and would not be separated from his brethren neither in life nor death as well he as Jonathan his son these were dearly beloved and most amiable men as the Scripture termeth them Why doest thou not remember our dear Prince the righteousnesse of David the anointed of the Lord who seeing a most grievous pestilence to rage upon the people of Israel said Let thy hand O Lord I beseech thee be turn'd upon me and my fathers house For I am he that have sinned I have transgressed as for these thy sheep What have they done What have they offended Where is the holy Law smothered and stifled in thy heart Art not thou an anointed Priest that hast declared and taught us the Holy Law whereby we might learn how to love our Lord GOD with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength If it be so that the service of God consists not in this that we should love him whom he loveth and die for his Covenant and Sanctuary together with his servants that be slain for the unity of the name of the Lord wherein standeth it then Hast not thou oft-times taught and proved unto us how that every man that dieth in the wars for the Lord his Sanctuary his people and his Law he is to be counted in the Lords lot and made worthy to go unto the great Light and shall not see everlasting darknesse Art not thou that Joseph the Priest that hast cryed so often in battel I am Joseph the Priest consecrated to battel that have vowed my life for the people of the Lord his Sanctuary and his Land But now when thou hast yielded thy self unto them and they order thee despitefully What wilt thou say unto them or what amends canst thou have at their hands I put the case they cast in thy teeth and say thy words be lyes How shalt thou avoid the reproach Art thou not he that said'st that we should fight for the people of God until we die in the conflict and in so doing death should be ransome for our sins and that we were sure to go to that great Light that is the light of life Which if it be true according as thou hast said Why then wilt thou shun death and not follow thy people that are gone before thee to that same light Ever hitherto thou hast had the upper hand wheresoever thou cam'st insomuch that they that heard of thee trembled for fear and now wilt thou yield thy life to captivity to the Romans as a vile slave Shall not this thy dishonour redound also to the people of God Thou art a Prince a King and a Priest Wilt thou be bound in chains Every man shall say This is he that gave his souldiers and the rest of the people to die but saved himself and his own life So when they had made an end of talk each man drew out his sword and came to him in the midst of the Cave saying Hearest thou Joseph our Prince if thou wilt be ruled by us first we shall slay thee as a Lord and a great Prince and thou shalt chuse what death thou wilt die that thou mayest die honourably But if thou refuse to die honestly assure thy self of this we will every man set upon thee and kill thee Joseph answered Indeed I know my brethren that your words are just and true For who is so mad to desire to live in this hurly burly and would God that he would call my soul unto him and receive it unto him also For I am not ignorant that it were more expedient for me to die then to live for the great troubles that have passed through my heart but he knoweth the secrets of mens hearts and it is he that giveth life unto men It is our GOD that closeth souls within the bodies and letteth them out again because he is the living God in whose hands remain the souls and spirits of all living creatures He hath left with us the spirit of life and closed it up within our bodies What is he that will open that he hath shut How shall we loose that he would have knit fast within us Do ye not all know how the life is a thing that he hath left us to keep and that we are his servants If then we cast away life before that God take it Shall he not worthily be displeased with us so that we shall not find life in the place of the living with Abraham our father of famous memory and with those just and godly men our forefathers Do ye not know that they went not unto God before they were called and when they were called they came and so dealt God with all the holy and godly men To Moses our Master of worthy memory the elect of God ye know that the Lord God of Israel said Get thee upon this mountain Abiram and so he did but he would not have done it of himself had not God called him whereby ye may see it is not lawful for a man to surrender his life unto the Living GOD except he require it again Take example I pray you of Job what time he curst the day that he was born in Might he not either have hanged himself or have run upon a knife or at the least have followed his wife's counsel to curse God and die Notwithstanding he abode patiently in most extream pain waiting till God demanded again his life and then restored it unto his Lord God and would not restore it undemanded but tarried till his appointed time came King David also of famous memory said Lead thou my life out of this pinfold and prison For he knew that the life was inclosed in the body and that none might let it forth but God I wot well that death is a great commodity so that the soul may return in his due time unto God that gave it us I know it also That he that dieth in the Wars of the Lord he shall come to the great Light But I know not what can appease Gods wrath towards the soul of that man that killeth himself and maketh haste to restore his soul before his time and without the Lords calling Wherefore my friends and my brethren I would ye should know it I am no more coward than you and I do not disagree with you because I am of a faint heart for fear of these present calamities but this I know I should commit a hainous offence against the Lord if I should kill my self And how say ye you Princes that stick unto your God to you I speak Tell me who shall make intercession unto God for us if we should commit this sin and each kill one another Would not a man judge him a slave a fool a froward person a rebel and a desperate man that should be forced with any misery to be so mad that because all things fall not out as he would wish would therefore hang or desperately murder himself with his
own hand Such ye know the law thus punisheth Their right hand is cut off wherewith they forced themselves to die then they are left unburied as men that have destroyed their own souls By what reason then shall we kill our selves I would wish that we might be slain of our enemies rather than we should so shamefully murder ourselves whereby ever after we should be taken for man-slayers If any man kill himself as Saul whom he commended without doubt he committeth a haynous crime and such a one as no satisfaction can be made for Besides that he shall be reckoned faint-hearted and as one that despaireth of his recovery wherefore our fore-fathers have taught us A man ought not to despair of his safegard and deliverance which cometh of God no not when the knife is put to his throat to cut it For King Hezekiah of famous memory when he heard these words of Esaias that worthy Prophet Make thy Will and set thy things in order for thou shalt die and not escape Neverthelesse he fainted not nor ceased not to pray to God for the prolonging of his life in theworld that he might amend his life and send a better soul unto God Then the Lord God of Israel seeing his unwearied and strong hope with his repentance suffered him to live fifteen years longer But as for Saul he was not appointed King over Israel after the Lords mind but only by the people that craved of Samuel Give us a King to rule over us whereupon afterward God departed from Saul for he was not obedient to Gods will but went about by force to establish his kingdom The Lord then seeing the wickednesse of his heart gave him over and chose him another to be King over his people anointing David his servant whiles Saul was yet living which Saul perceiving persecuted David and laboured with all his endeavour to destroy him because he knew God was with him and prospered all that he did whereas contrarily all went backward with himself For these causes I say he chose rather to die than live he also would not live after the people of Israel were overthrown in the Mountains of Gilboa And in mine opinion he slew himself for nothing but because he was a faint-hearted coward and utterly despaired of his safegard For although he said Lest these uncircumcised come and run me through Yet if he had been of aâ—…valiant courage he would have stood to his defence to the death Peradventure God would have delivered him But he contrarily all in despair procured both himself and his son a shameful death But ye shall consider this he was an unmerciful King and therefore did God rid him out of the World For as he did not spare his own life nor his son's so did he not spare others And whereas ye alledge Aaron unto me I would know of you why he put himself between the living and the dead Was it not because he would turn away the plague from Israel If he had known that he himself should have been stricken therewith doubtlesse he would not have striven against the striker but trusting in the holinesse of his righteousnesse he stood before the Angel to deliver Israel from that misery Therefore I am not to be compared with Aaron albeit I am one of his children and never yet in all my life did I shrink to venture my life in the Wars of the Lord And now I am not determined to kill my self lest I should sin against God and spoil my soul of hope of salvation I know it well and it were more expedient for me to be slain of mine enemies then that I should kill my self And if ye say the word Let us go forth and suddenly set upon our enemies to kill or to be killed in this battel of the Lord and so shall we do well peradventure God will give them into our hands For God is able to save as well by a small Army as by a great Then if ye see me to be afraid of mine enemies sword ye shall thereby know me to be a coward and one that fawneth upon his enemies and hunteth for their favour But ye shall see me go before you as a valiant man nor once to turn my face from death What did ye ever see in me that you should judge me fearful Did ye ever know me refuse to fight within the Town of Jorpata I have ever kept my quarter and ward and every day have I fought with mine enemies whom I have not spared but impaired and that not a little whiles I defended that little City forty eight daves against them For I thought with my self peradventure I may drive away the enemies of the Lord out of our Land and divert them from Jerusalem that they go not thither And so have I fought with them till all my valiant souldiers be spent and none left but you I could no longer withstand their force yet I would not yeild my self as a prisoner unto them therefore I fled hither with you into this Cave Now therefore Brethren ye shall understand that death is commodious and good indeed which comes in time But it is neither good nor godly for a man to kill himself and his brother to go afterward for that deed into hell and perdition And what other thing can more clearly set forth a mans proud and haughty mind with his hope in God than for a man to suffer patiently whatsoever chanceth unto him until his end come Behold the Lions and other Beasts how they are wont to withstand their enemies that lie in wait for them to the intent they may save their lives whose armour is in their teeth and claws wherewith neverthelesse they hurt not themselves but use them against other that assault them till they either overcâ—…me or be overcome We although we have no warlike Weapons yet have Nature armed us as well as them For albeit we be not of such strength as they yet hath we such armour that we may defend our selves therewith both from man and beast But how can we break the band of love one to another that proceedeth from God who hath chosen us his people and inheritance to sanctifie him How then may we be enemies one against another and kill one another If that be true as ye cannot deny it that although we be many thousands yet we are counted as one soul and members of one body Then how can any man ever find in his heart to strike his own eyes or feet or any other of his members to destroy it except he be mad and besides himself Moreover dear Brethren and Friends consider to what end the Master of a ship doth abide the tempest of the Seas and striveth day and night with the floods thereof Doth he not do it to save the Ship and his life from death If so it be he shâ—…uld willingly for the same purpose put himself in jeopardy of Tempest or run on Rocks Would not the Merchant-men
say See yonder desperate fellow that destroyeth himself his Ship with the the Merchants and their riches Suppose an earthly King should give his officers to keep certain precious Jewels Were it not convenient that they should keep them till such time as he should call for them again If they should at their pleasure cast them away before the King call for them Shall they not move him to anger And if a man come into the presence of the King uncalled Will not the King check him and say unto him What dost thou here before I call thee So now all the souls of Israel are the Lords who hath bestowed them unto men according to his mercy and good pleasure who also will receive them again when it pleaseth him and when his time is come every soul shall depart unto his place of rest Therefore if a man will with his own hands let forth his soul out of his body before his time God will not receive it neither shall it find any rest but be destroyed and why Because it is expulsed and thrust out of his place before his time and before God do call for it wherefore it shall wander inconstantly for ever Why then my dear Brethren and Friends do you advise us to kill one another and to expell and banish our souls from us they being not call'd for How can we put away this opprobry How can we make amends for this sin Who shall pray and make intercession for us And with this Joseph wept abundantly insomuch that they laught him to scorn Then Joseph held up his hands to heaven saying Thou Lord Almighty art our Father thou hast formed us and by thy great mercy taken us out of the clay thou art he that leadest us in thy faith and the multitude of thy mercies and benignities towards us hath not ceased Aâ—…d although our sins have separated us from thee yet nâ—…vertheless we are thy handy-work every one of us and a long time have we been called thy people Thou art Lord over all creatures and souls Thou dost what thou wilt and none dare say to thee Why dost thou so Thou art our Father we are clay thou hast given us our shape and fashion therefore if it please thee to take our souls take them by the hands of thine Angels that we commit no evil against them And if these my fellows that be present with me will not be partakers of my prayer behold my life alone for the which I beseech thy benign clemency if it please thee take it for thou gavest it me therefore do with it whatsoever it shall seem good unto thee It is in thine hands thou lendest it me and hast preserved it within me I will not destroy it my self or let it out of my prison before thou demand it for thou knowest that as man cannot live without thy decree and appointment so likewise he cannot die without the same Vnto thee therefore do I lift mine eyes thou that dwellest in Heaven to deal mercifully with thy servants and with me to turn our hearts that we consent not unto this to murder our selves If thou know any among them that intend so wicked an Act I beseech thee O Lord my God let me find favour in thine eyes give them an heart to hear wholesome counsel that I may deliver my self and mine own life which I commend into thine hands that thou wouldest receive it unto thee for in thy hand is the life of every living creature Thus when Joseph had finished his prayer he turned him unto his fellows and saluted them Then said they Thinkest thou therefore to move our minds because thou hast prayed unto God for thy self and for us Did not we tell thee ere while like as we tell thee now that we are determined to die by one means or other wherefore say thy mind and tell us by wâ—…at death thou wilt end thy life for we have ever known thee a just man and a worthy Prince therefore art thou worthy to die first Joseph perceiving his fellows were utterly determined to die and would give none ear to his perswasions for he could by no reasons draw them to his opinion he went subtilly to work with them on this wise Seeing it will be none otherwise Brethren quoth he I will shew you my advice Ye are determined to die ye say and that upon your own swords therefore there is no better way than to do it by lot in this wise Let us cast lots amongst our selves that we may be joyned together by couples then will we cast lots which couple shall die first afterwards they two shall cast lots betwen them which of them shall kill his fellow he that remaineth shall choose him one of the second couple to kill him likewise the second couple shall cast lots between themselves who shall die first and he that is left shall choose him one of the third couple whom he hath a fancy to be killed of then they shall try by lot who shall die first who being slain the other may choose him one of the fourth couple to kill him and so even till all be slain that we see not the captivity of our people The last couple that remain shall do thus Run one upon the others sword or else let them cast lots between themselves and upon whom it falleth let him die first But forasmuch as we are forty and one so that we cannot be justly joyned in couples let us cast lots first of all and see which of us shall first be slain and when he is once out of the way then let us divide the couples He that is to be slain first let him choose one of the first couple and cast lots and do as I have devised Then every man liked his device which was Gods doing who heard Josephs prayer and said all with one mouth We will do as thou hast advised and to thee it appertaineth to divide the men and to cast the lots Joseph answered But let us swear by the name of the Lord that this device shall stand be ratified and performed whereunto they accorded and sware all by the name of the Lord that they would have this device to be ratified and kept which Joseph had invented by casting of lots Then Joseph cast lots who should be the odde man and it fell upon Jehojada the son of Eliakim a Galilean which was a valiant man and chiefest in every counsel next to Joseph and the principal perswader of this wicked fact to kill themselves After that did he craftily divide them into couples so that the lot of his own couple came forth last of all who looked to be saved and trusted in God believing that he would deliver him from this abominable deed Then Jehojada chose him one of the first câ—…uple who slew him That done the first couple cast lots between them so the one killed his fellow and chose him one of the second couple to kill him Then they
slaughters of them filling all places full of dead carcases of the Gentiles They would not be ruled by sinners but ventured themselves to die offering their lives not for their sous and daughters but for the Sanctuary of the Lord and his Temple left it should be polluted with the Idols of the Gentiles Where remaineth now the rod of God that holy rod that budded and blossomed in the daies of gladness Now is both the spring withered and the rod it self also The rod of faith is withered the rod of the Kingdom the rod also of thy people whence the holy Law is taken away neither is there any man that can tell where to draw any waters of thy Heavenly mercy Alas the mercifull men that have been in times past to their brethren both alive and dead how are they now turned into most cruel tyrants and have mercy of no man Where is the multitude of their mercies wherewith they were wont honorably to bury their dead Now the corses of their dead bodies cover the face of the whole earth and there is no body will vouchsafe to bury them yea they that would cannot be suffered but straightwaies come others to them that kill them before they can do it so that they also die and lie unburied and are strewed about here and there in the fields Such is the guise in thee now adaies neither the father to bury the son nor the son the father the Seditious watch so diligently those that be dead lest any man should bury them which if they do they are also slain by them and lie unburied themselves The Temple of the Lord that is in thee which was wont to smel sweetly of spices anointings and perfumes how is it now choked with carriondung and most pestilent stinch of dead bodies and blood of the wounded Thy streets are strowed full of dead men some run-through with glaves and javelins and other dead for hunger yea they that remain yet alive in the City are as good as dead also and may be takeâ—… for no less For they are weary of their lives because of the pestilent damp of the dead bodies the outragiousness whereof hath cast many into most dangerous diseases and hath been the death of numbers already This may worthily seem to be it that David the anointed of the God of Jacob the pleasant and sweet musical Poet of Israel speaketh oâ—… Lord the Gentiles are come into thine inheritance they have polluted the Temple of thy holiness And would to God it had been the Gentiles only that had exalted themselves against thee and polluted thus the holy Temple that is in thee For in the maliciousness of an enemy a man findeth the half of his comfort but in the malice of a friend there is no comfort at all Yea the very children that thou hast bred brought up and promoted the self same have stuffed the Temple of the Lord that is in thee with unburied carcases every man killing his neighbour and the Seditious suffering no man to bury them but slaying all that attempt to bestow any such work of mercy upon the dead in such sort that they fall dead upon the corpses which they would have buried and by that means both the corpses lye cast out into the field no better than the carcases of brute beasts that be found in desart places Yea the iniquity and cruelty of thy Citizens O Jerusalem is grown so far that they were not content only to kill their neighbours but they must also hew their miserable limbs in pieces for else they thought they were not sufficiently revenged although that in so doing many times the stinch of the dead took worthy vengeance again of the living by casting them into incurable diseases All these evills are come upon thy people because they have forsaken the law of the Lord and have transgressed the Covenant that he made with their brethren because also they have sinned against the Lord God of their fathers in shedding the blood of just men and innocents that were within thee even in the Temple of the Lord. And therefore are our sorrowfull sighings multiplied and our weepings daily increased for that we have been the cause of all these evils that are befallen us and are not yet ended O Lord our God our sins are gone over our heads and the wicked acts that we have committed in thy sight are innumerable The Lord our God is righteous it is we that have rebelled against his will we have prophaned and unhallowed his Law we have broken his Covenant and ever the more that his wrath kindled against us the more have we transgressed against him Wherefore to him belongeth justice and judgment he hath worthily powred the fury of his displeasure on us to us only belongeth shame as we have abundantly at this day But he will once turn again and have mercy upon us vanquish all our fins and cast them all into the deep bottome of the sea so be it After these things the third day of the first month in the first year of the reign of Vespasian Titus his son took muster of his men in the plain of Cesarea to know the certain number of them which he had not done afore since his fathers departure and he found them very many insomuch that they seemed almost to cover the earth This done he took his journey from Cesarea with his people and came to Samaria where the Citizens received him with great joy and much honored him wherefore he spared them and did them no harm From thence he came to Ajelona thirty furlongs from Jerusalem there he pitched his tents and leaving them there took six hundred horsemen with him and came to Jerusalem to view the Town to know of what height the walls were of what strength there was in the Town especially of the Seditious of whom every where great rumour was finally to receive peaceably all such as were desirous of peace So when he came to the waâ—…l he saw no man neither to go out nor in for the gates were shut up and the Seditious had laid an ambush without the Town to trap Titus who went somewhat before accompanied with a few the rest following a pretty way behind Whiles therefore he was in viewing the walls the Seditious issued out of their ambush that they had laid nigh unto Ajelona and set upon the back of Titus men behind Then issued another Party out of the Town so that they had Titus between them and running upon him seperated him from his men and environed him on every side where they slew sixty of his men and might have slain him also save that they coveted to take him alive Titus seeing himself beset and forsaken of his own men that thought it was impossible for him to escape perceiving also that they went not about to kill him but to take him alive moreover that he could in no wise escape except he would make an irruption and run through their bands
that place was a sore and vehement fight and much people slain on both sides yea Titus escaped narrowly from being slain in that fight and had died indeed if certain of his valiant souldiers had not returned unto him and rescued him out of the Jews hands That day were the chief of Titus souldiers slain Then the Jews retired to their place at the walls side They also who went to the Mount Olivet returned homeward by the Brook Cedron the Romans seeing that pursued them whereupon the Jews returned again upon the Romans who fled by and by Thus the Jews put the Romans to flight thrice upoâ—… one day It came to passe then that the external wars paused and intestine civil wars returned most terribly amongst the Seditious at Jerusalem For upon the first day of the high solemn Feast of Passeover Captain Jehochanan and his men came into the Temple of the Lord where he was honourably received of the Priests and Elders with the rest of the commonalty And when they were within they cast off their upper garments under which they were armed with coats of fence and swords tyed to their thighs After that they beset the doors and laid hold of the Priests slew them and the people also their hearts were so cruelly bent against their brethren neither regarding the reverent countenances of old men nor inclining to the prayers of them that besought them without sparing women or children no not the sucking babes This done Jehochanan stood up and openly protested that neither Schimeon nor Eleazar nor any of the rest of the Captains of the Seditious nor any man else should have the soveraignty in that City but he The other hearing that Jehochanan had wrought such displeasure to the people of God in the Temple rose together and slew very many of Jehochanans part but in the mean season what of the one part and what of the other the Israelites went to wrack and were slain in great number Tydings came to Titus how the Jews were at odds among themselves and slew one another daily whereat he rejoyced greatly and came with his whole host to the Town where he found certain Jews without that had fled because of the rage of the civil wars When they saw Titus they came and besought him to enter the Town and deliver them from the cruelty of the Seditious and they would be his servants for these wars had made them almost weary of their lives Yet Titus gave little credit to their tale although they used many words to peâ—…swade him that it was true For he remembred that within three dayes afore he saw the Jews fight against him eagerly all with one accord so earnestly one rescuing and defending another that no discord appeared to be amongst them Wherefore he would not trust their words in that they required succour and offered to yield And as they were thusdebating the matter suddenly they heard an uprore in the Town and wonderful hurly burly some crying Open the gates let Titus come in other cryed Shut the gates and let not the Romans come in Then certain upon the walls called to the Romans speedily to come unto the Town and they would then open the gates that they might enter in requesting the Romans to deliver them from the tyranny of the Seditious lest say they we should be aâ—…l slain by the hands of these ravinous and cruel Seditious persons The Romans therefore ran to the gates and when they approached nigh to the walls and were come within danger the Jews hurled stones from the walls and shot arrows at them slaying very many of the Romans The other Jews also that were without the Town and had besought Titus to deliver them from the hands of the Seditious began again to assail the Romans that were gone to the walls with much force that many of them they slew the residue they put to flight and the Jews followed the chase almost to Ajelona Then the Jews mockt and flouted the Romans calling them fresh-water souldiers men of no experience and innocent fools that never saw the trains of war before clapping also their targets and shaking their swords against them in mockage The Roman Captains seeing these things they took great disdain at the matter and in great ire would have turned back upon the Jews again had not Titus caused the retreat to be sounded Upon this Titus assembled all his Counsellours Captaâ—…ns and Souldiers together and said unto them in this wise I have a sufficient trial and understand well enough your valiantnesse and courage most worthy men and souldiers which far passeth the strength and man-hood of all other Nations and not only in this most excellent vertue do ye excell but also in knowledge and sleights of war in wisdom and forecast ye have been chief of all other Now therefore brethren and friends I marvel not so greatly at the Jews subtilty and craft in their swearing to you for the perswading of a thing and after keep not their oath but this seemeth wonderful uâ—…to me that ye suffer your selves still to be deceived of them and to be slain by their wiles For all the wit ye have could not deliver you out of their snares but now yet again the third time ye have approached the walls and this is the third time ye have been put to the foyl for your labours And all this cometh because ye will not be ruled by me but transgresse your General and Lords commandment But now my Brethren take heed what ye do hereafter it becometh you not to disobey my words which ye have done often times Do you not remember a certain Nobleman of our Country in the wars of Augustus Caesar against the Persians how he put his own son to death because that contrary to his Fathers commandment who was grand Captain of the Army under Augustus he had fought with his enemies yea although he killed three Persians But what speak I of once Ye have oftentimes set light by my commandments skirmishing daily with the Jews and that without all discreâ—…on rashly and out of ordeâ—… whereby you may gather your enterprises have no good successe If you continue these manners it shall redound unto your own dishonours Wherefore it were better for you to leave off these doings and lay away your pride contumacy and stubbornnesse which if ye do things shall be in better safegard Much more spake Titus to his men rebuking them sharply not mentioned here but declared at large in the Volume that we writ unto the Romans When he had said these words his Princes and Captains fell every one prostrate to the earth and besought pardon of him for their rashnesse in that they had so unadvisedly and without order against his mind encountred with the Jews Then Titus taking pity of them pardoned them requestinâ—… them to beware hereafter that they commit nothing against his commandment neither in word nor deed and so doing they should have his favour and
avoid his displeasure and danger of death for the contrary but if they refused to do it he would not spare any man whatsoever he were that should transgress his commandment but put him to death and give his body to be eaten of the fowls of the air They answered with one voice We are content with these conditions and will do whatsoever thou shalt command us After this Titus considering how earnestly the Jerusolemites were set one against another how they were become such cruel enemies that each of them conspired others death he caused the pits cisterns and trenches that were about Jerusalem to be damn'd up and stopt with earth that the wayes might be levelled for his Army This done he encampt himself nearer the walls Against which attempt the Jews issued not out of the City after their accustomed manner to put them back from the walls For Schimeon was otherwise busied he had entertained ten thousand men of the best of the Seditious Jews and joyned himself to Jacob the Edomite Captain of nine thousand Edomites with whom he had made a conspiracy utterly to destroy Captain Jehochanan And setting upon him they compelled him to flee into the court of the Temple where he remained in the gate of the entrance of the Temple with eight thousand and four hundred good men of war all well appointed in jacks Eleazar also was against him and joyned with Schimeon becoming an enemy to him that before had saved his life and so they both together assailed Jehochanan neglecting the defence of the Town By this means the Romans encamped themselves about the walls at their pleasure raising Towers and casting Trenches to plant their battering-Rams to beat down the walls The common people of the Jews â—…hat were under the rule and Government of the three Seditious Captains namely Schimeon Eleazar and Jehochanan which although they were ill enough all yet the tyranny of Jehochanan far passed Schimeon and Schimeon was far worse than Eleazar though Eleazar was the head Authour and first beginner of sedition in all Israel were amongst them as sheep ready to be killed For the foresaid seditious Captains â—…lew the people at their pleasure and divided them into bands casting lots upon them Who should have which so that one had anothers men and another man his And this did they not only with their own men but also with all the rest of the people in such wise that when the Romans made any assault then joyned they together as one man to resist the Romans to whom when they had given a repulse then would they return to their civil wars and fall together by the ears among themselves Extreme and dreadful was the civil conflict at that season between the foresaid Captains and so sore that the blood streamed down the channel out of the gates of Jerusalem like as a brook that runneth out of a fountain and welspring The Romans seeing it were moved with much pity so that they wept bitterly But Joseph that was among them was stricken with so great heavinesse that he burst out into a sorrowful lamentation lifting up his woeful voice in this wise Alas alas Jerusalem the city of the great King How shall I now call thee at this day or what name shall I give thee Sometimes thou waâ—… calâ—…ed Jebus of Jebusaeus that builded thee first in all this Land After that thy name was Zedek that is Justice whereupon King Jehoram was called Melchizedek for he was a righteous King and because he reigned in thee with justice therefore was thy name Zedek Then righteousnesse had abiding in thee and thy bright star that shined in thee was Zedek Moreover in his time wast thou called Schalem as the Scripture witnesseth and Melchizedek King of Schalem and that because the equitie of the people that dwelt in thee was then fulfilled For at that time Abraham our father of worthie memorie fell to worship God in thee and to take thee to his inheritance to plant in thee the root of good works Whereupon the Tabernacle of God remaineth in thee to this day as it was revealed unto the same our father Abraham In thee say I is the Sanctuarie of the Lord. For in that place did Abraham bind his onlie son upon the top of one of the hills that is called Mount Moriah holie and hallowed and therefore art thou called Jerusalem because our father Abraham of famous memory called the place of the Sanctuarie Adonajureth The Lord shall see then thy late name being Schalem this joyned to it made it Jiereshalem For the Lord God shall behold the place of thy Sanctuarie at what time it shall be Schalem that is pure uncorrupt without black or spot but whensoever it is polluted or defiled as it is at this day then will he turn away his face from it Furthermore thou art called Jerushalem therefore because that whoso understands the dignitie and worthiness of the place wherein thy Sanctuarie is shall bid the Angels of heaven to teach in it the doctrines of the holy Ghost and the spirit of wisdom and understanding wherewith little children and the unlearned in thy Land may be made wise He also that ministereth in the Temple had â—…n a garment of four colours Scarlet Violet Bâ—…sse and Purple Scarlet in respect of the heavens that be above the firmament Violet and Bysse colours which he made of flax because of the earth of which they came Finally Purple in respect of the sea where Purple is gotten Therefore when as the Priest came into the Temple to minister apparelled in these four colours he said before the Almighty God I am come to present my self here in thy sight O Lord of the world in four kinds of colours that represent the parts of thy world and in such wise do I appear before thee as though I should bring all the whole world into thy sight Moreover the aforesaid apparel was garnished with pure gold and precious stones after the likenesse of the Tribes of the sons of Jacob who was called Israel that in that garment he might have the soveraignty before the Angels that be above and by them prevail to bring the vertue of the holy Ghost by the which they should obtain wisdom that dwell in thee and prosper in their study and faith that they might have wisdom and understanding together His loyns also were girded with linnen flops wherewith he covered his secret parts for it becometh Priests most of all other persons to be shamefac'd and bashful especially when he should minister in the two Sanctuaries the outer and the inner which is the Sanctum Sanctorum or holiest of all In the outer the Priests minister as the High Priest commandeth them but in the inner that is the Sanctum Sanctorum entreth no man save the High Priest only and that but once a year For in it was the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord in which were laid up the two Tables of the Covenant that God made
Romans and are under their subjection at this day What should I speak of the people of the Philistines which heretofore alwayes have vexed and annoyed you Doth not the meanest amongst all the Princes of the Romans bear rule over them What hope then have you to escape when ye know the Philistines were ever stronger than you and you were oftentimes overcome of them As for example Saul your King was slain by them But you will say David the annointed of the Lord of Israel pulled them down and brought them into subjection Wote ye what then God looked upon you with a favourable countenance and fought your battels Himself but at this day He is in no wise present with you for he hath turned away his countenance of salvation from you Because ye have sinned against him And which of you can say he hath intelligence of the secret of the Lord or hath received any such watch-word as God gave at that time unto David When thou shalt hear a sound of mourning in the tops of Mulbery-trees then shalt thou set forward for then shall the Lord go before thy face smite the Tents and Camps of the Philistines 2 Sam. 5. Whosoever I say hath knowledge of any such token let him reveal it to his neighbour and I could well consent to follow it But seeing there is no such thing hearken unto me my dear brethren Come and serve the Romans in peace and tranquillity It shall be no dishonesty for you with the Kings of Persia to be subject to the Romans they that sometime were your Masters shall be now your fellows and companions But if you will persevere and stand in your opinion still I will enter into this discourse with you Tell me I pray you when were ever your ancestours free and when were they not entangled with the wars of the Gentiles and the Dominion of other Nations Had you not ever the victory from the time you came out of Egypt until the reign of Saul the son of Cis So long as the Lord was your King you were in bondage to no man you served God as your only King But after that your evil and corrupt desire stirred you to be irksome to the Lord and lest he should reign alone to chuse a man to have the Dominion over you according as the custom was in other Nations I mean Saul the son of Cis and the other Kings every one then served you him you and your sons and the chiefest of you became his servants your goodliest daughters were made his Confectionaries his Cooks and his Bakers After Saul reigned David of worthy memory who ruled over many Nations But he also brought you into bondage and put divers of you to death to satisfie his pleasure withal He being dead you served Solomon his son who no lesse than the other even as he listed exercised Dominion over you he also took up your sons and daughters and made them his slaves After this succeeded other most wicked Kings so that from that time your Country began to go to wrack and he that was the best amongst them was Rehoboam which said unto you My father corrected you with whips but I will scourge you with Scorpions And so did the rest of the Kings which reigned after him very few of them pleased God All the other wrought abomination not one of them did any good or reigned in the fear of the Lord. And in this manner remained the Empire long time with you until the Kings of Chaldea came and led you Captive into Babylon where you were kept until Cyrus time King of Persia who sent you again into your own Country with a wonderful deal of gold and silver with great honour which was counted unto him for righteousnesse After Cyrus death there rose against you the most wicked Kings of Greece who warring upon you gave you great overthrows until God stirred up the spirits of certain Sage Priests of the stock of Chasmonani that revenged your injuries At that time you were Brethren and Friends with the Romans and friendship grew betwixt you many years After that you fell from the stock of Chasmonani which had delivered you and chose one whose name was Herod who oppressed you grievously After him succeeded Archelaus his son he yet laid a sorer yoke upon you wherefore falling upon him ye protested never hereafter to serve the Kings of Juda. So going to the Romans willingly ye submitted your selves under their subjection to serve Augustus the Emperour who ordered you gently Him you served as other Nations did and it was to your praise because ye were under a good Governour Therefore now my Brethren and Children of my people What mean you at this present that you have determined to die and do not rather spare your selves and your children Consider I beseech you the things that grow upon the earth and all living creatures beasts worms that creep upon the ground fowls of the air and fishes of the sea Do you not see that ever the stronger hath the Dominion over the weaker neither is it any rebuke or shame for the weaker to give place and obey that which is stronger For the Oxe and the Goat are in awe of the Lyon the Ram and the Ewe of the Woolfe the Cow and the Lamb fear the Bear the Goat the Liberd the Hawk is afraid of the Eagle the Dove of the Hawk Weigh the manner of beasts and birds amongst their own kind you shall see ever the bigger and stronger to be master over the lesse and weaker And so in all other things the stronger set themselves before the weaker alwayes Wherefore ye mortal men learn by me Did not one God make all things and He himself hath Dominion over them all Notwithstanding all things are so knit together amongst themselves that no one thing can stand without another But he that holds up all things is the Blessed God who if he list can bring them all into dust again His Name be extolled for ever Take example I pray you from the parts of the whole World you shall see one part to be in subjection another to bear rule Be not then too stiffe-necked to pervert the natural courses of the World but rather let your election follow the causes and events of the same which if you do you shall be esteemed wise men Now my dear Countrymen never think it shame for you to serve the Romans it is time for you now to turn to the Lord with your whole heart and then you shall have the dominion over other Nations according to your desire this shall then come to passe when you follow your Lord God with all your strength Therefore never think that the Romans which have rule over you at this day are of lesse power than other people that heretofore have had dominion over you For they are a mighty Nation their Empire and rule over other people they have from above as I have proved to you by the similitudes
of brute beasts which according to nature bear rule one over another Notwithstanding in mankind it should never have come to passe that the bigger should so have dominion over the lesse unlesse for their sins for the the which they are so punished that one is compelled to bow his neck under anothers yoke Now therefore my dear people take humility and meeknesse unto you never covet to alter the law of Nature but rather receive my words and follow my counsell Obey the Romans prepared and ready to make league with you according to their bountifulnesse that ye may live and do full well CHAP. II. WHen Joseph had spoken these things in the hearing of the Citizens of Jerusalem they burst out and wept gnashing with their teeth and railed at Joseph over the walls hurling stones and darts at him to have killed him Therefore when Joseph saw they would not follow his counsel butwere so stiffe-necked he began to rebuke them crying unto them in this wise Wo to all froward people and such as rebell against the Lord God! What mean ye you wretches what have ye to leane unto that ye are so stubborn when neverthelesse the Lord is gone from you For you are wicked people and have sinned against him How can your sins be purged which you have committed in the Temple of the Lord by shedding of innocent blood without all mercy Ye are most guilty for ye have fought in the Temple and Sanctuary of the Lord ye have defiled it with dead bodies of them which ye have slain in the very midst thereof Besides ye have prophaned and unhallowed the Name of the Lord with making of Wars upon the Sabbath day upon your solemn and festival daâ—…es Tell me now ye froward rebels whether did ever your forefathers prevail against their enemies with spear and shield but rather with prayer pennance and purenesse of heart wherewith they served God and again he delivered them But you what have you to trust unto when as ye are unfaithful Your shelter and protection is departed from you and your Lord God aideth your enemies whose power he maintaineth to destroy you if you imaâ—…ine to be delivered with your swords and speares you are fouly deceived whereas God would not that ye should escape the hands of your enemies Open your eyes and see what David the annointed of the Lord said For the Lord will save neither by sword nor spear Call to your remembrance ye very fools Abraham your father which begot you by what means he overcame Pharaoh the King of Egypt who violently had taken away Sarah his wife from him surely none other way did he obtain the victory then by prayer to the Lord who stirred the spirit of Pharaoh and put him in mind to restore his wife Sarah clean and undefiled Abraham was quiet in his bed and at rest from all troubles but Pharaoh that great Lord and Ruler was punished in the mean season with great plagues because of Sarah whom he had taken to him by violence to deflower her which God would not suffer but rather uncovered Pharaohs flesh that he was fain to shew the secret parts of his body to Physitians to see if they could heal them But who can cure the infirmities which God sends or who knows his intents For who knew that Hezekiahs biles could be healed with a plaister of figs or Naman the Syrian's leprosie with the wâ—…ter of Jordan or the bitter water with wormwood Wherefore when as no man could cure Pharaoh he was fain to speak Abraham fair and to intreat him to pray to God to take away from him his plague and so by his prayer Pharaoh recovered Then Pharaoh apparelled Sarah in precious garments gave her gifts of Gold and Silver and precious Stones and sent her home honest pure and holy to Abraham living then at his own house â—…saac when he was driven out by Abimelech King of the Philistins and had with him the bond servants of his fathers houshold to the number of 800. and 18. with whom Abraham had discomfited five Kings beside many other more of his family so that he had been strong enough to have invadâ—… the Philistines yet he would not do it but with all meeknesse and humilâ—…ty he used himself towards the King of that Country Notwithstanding after he was driven out of the Land the Philistines came unto him and entreated him saying We perceive the Lord God is with thee c. as it is written in the Scripture What shall we say of Jacob when he fâ—…ed from the presence of his brother Esau he carried nothing with him but a bare staffe wherewith he passed ovâ—…r the River Jordan as it is wâ—…itten With my staffe passed I this Jordan His Ammunition that he took with him for his journey was prayâ—…r wherewith he made all his wars That was it for the which God assisted him when he went away to Laban and when he returned from him when also he was delivered out of the hands of his brother Esau who sought to kill him And this also he did bâ—… the way as he returned when he wrestled with a certain man that overcame him O Lord Who is able to number the mercies of the Lord and the marvels which he wrought with our fathers of worthy memory Abraham Isaac and Jacâ—…b What should I speak of Moses our shepherd the man of God that feared the cruelty of Pharoah until he writ in the Law that he had called the name of his son Eleazar for he said the God of his father helped him and delivered him out of the hands of Pharaoh And when he came before Pharaoh to deliver Israel out of his hands and to lead them out of Egypt With what things else overcame he the Tyrant withal then with prayer Did he not overthrow the pride of Pharaoh and his Charmers only with the Rod of the Lord which he had with him Wherewith also he smote Egypt with ten plagues aâ—…d divided the Sea into twelve parts And at the red Sea Moses resisted not Pharaoh and his host with force of Arms but with pâ—…ayer wherefore Pharaoh and all his were drowned in the bottom of the Sea But Moses sung a song of praise unto our God while the souldiers of the Egyptians perished that came against Moses and the people of Israel with weapons horses and chariots Notwithstandiug by Moses prayer they weâ—…e overwhelmed all in the Sea so that not one of them escaped Who is ignoraut of this that prayer is of more force than all instruments of war that it speedeth and hasteneth the help of the Lord and his saving health Do you not know when Joshua the minister of Moses passed over Jordan that he was a warlike man and had with him very many most valiant souldiers neverthelesse he destroyed not the seven walls of Jericho by force of War but only with prayer and with shouts and noise of the Priests of the Lord our forefathers Know ye not that
perish Have ye not a sufficient proof of his clemency and mercifulness when as he had cause to be cruel upon no man so much as upon me which drew out my sword against the Romans and killed many of them Notwithstanding neither he nor the rest of the Romans have done me any harm Yea rather they have bestowed many benefits upon me and although I was in their hands yet they have saved my life I confess that before they had me prisoner I would gladly many times have fled to them but I could never do it for 〈◊〉 was ever afraid of my wicked companions â—…t they should have killed me and so my death had been to no purpose But now I praise the Lord Goâ—… without ceasing because that for his unmeasurable mercies sake he would not suâ—…fer me to be intangled in the same mischiefes that you be in Neither would I wish to be companion of such lost unthrifts and cast-awaies as you be which have shed the blood of innocents in the Temple of the Lord. Indeed if I had been with you I should have been void of all hope as ye be seeing ye spare not your own â—…ives and your own contumacy and stubborness is made snare a for you See I pray you with how great mischiefs you are laden First the Lord is not amongst you insomuch that through the tumults which you have made amongst your selves almost the waters of Shiloa are dried up which heretofore when the Nations made war against you flowed in great abundance and ran over the banks on both sides But you are contumacious rebels that ever provoked the Lord God unto wrath you have made slaughters one upon another in the midst of the Temple of the Lord how can then the glory of the Lord dwell amongst you Know ye not because of Korah and his Congregation the Lord said unto Moses and to his people Seperate your selves from among this congregation and I shall consume them in the twinkling of an eye But you are far worse than they For without all remorse or pity ye pull down the Temple of the Lord with your own hands and your selves set fire on the Sanctuary which most noble Kings and most holy Prophets builded and besides all this ye neither spare your sons nor daughters And although I be in the Romans Camp yet I am not absent from you for my most dearly beloved wife is present with you the wife oâ—… my youth whom I cannot set lightly by at this present although I never had children by her but rather love her most intirely because she came of a most honest and godly house My dear Father and Mother are also with you very aged persons for my Father is at this day a hundred and three years old and my Mother fourscore and five but the years of my life are very few evil and full of tribulation and sorrow about threescore and seven neither have I lived yet so long that according to Nature I should desire to die Now therefore if so be you trust not me but suppose I have proposed these things to you deceitfully and that there is no trust of Titus Covenant and bond or that his league should be to your hindrance and discommodity Go to if it come to pass it shall be lawfull for you to kill my Father and Mother and my Wife Yea I swear unto you by the Lord our God that I shall deliver my life also into your hands that you may do with me what ye list and by that means shall the blood of my Parents my Wives and mine be in pledge Therefore let the Ancients of the City come forth and I will make a league betwixt them and our Lord Titus And doubt ye not but as hitherto the Lord God would you should be 〈◊〉 and punished by the Government of the Romans so hereafter he shall benefit you thereby and do you good if so be you will once acknowledge and confess that all Dominion is changed and altered at his commandment and that God humbleth whom he listeth and again whom he list he seâ—…teth aloft But perswade your selves of this that as long as ye refuse to be subject unto the Romans so long you stir against your selves Gods wrath and high displeasure and besides that you do defer the longer and prolong your redemption and deliverance not only to your selves but also to your posterity Now therefore my brethren I thought it my part to declare all these things to you and it is in your power to choose whether you list for who so will let him give ear unto me and who not let him abstain from my counsell The people hearing these words and sayings of Joseph the Priest wept wonderfully for they could have been concent to have followed his counsell At this time Titus gave commandment to all the Romans to send again the Jews that were prisoners and the slaves into the City By what means he shifted from himself the blood of the Jews and laid it upon the necks of their Masters for Titus took pity of them through Josephs Oration and his good counsell The common people of the Jews desired nothing more then to have come forth and to fall to an agreement to make peace with Titus but Schimeon Eleazar and Jehochanan Captains of the Seditious set strong watch and ward at every gate charging them to kill all that should go forth Thus were many killed which would have fled forth to Titus and the City of Jerusalem was closed up and no man could get out nor in In the mean season fell a great dearth and famine in Jerusalem insomuch that the Seditious searched every mans house and cellar for food And because a certain housholder withstood them they killed him Thus they dealt with all them that dwelled at Jerusalem till the victuals in the Town was all spent that men began to seek dung and even mans excrements to eat by which means much of the people died for hunger Whosoever at that time could get any hearbs or roots mice serpents or other creeping worms whatsoever they were to eat he was counted happy because he had found meat to sustain and save his life withall in that hard famine and terrible hunger Moreover whosoever had any corn in store that no man knew of he was afraid to send it to the mill or bake it because of the wickedness of the Seditious lest they should take away from them their sustenance wherefore many did eat the dry coâ—…n unground in their cellars privily At that time also were many exceeding rich men in Jerusalem which stole meat one fâ—…om another so that the father snatched meat from the son and the son from the father the mother snatcht from her children the children likewise from their mother and such as fled out of the gates or otherwise let themselves down over the walls in the night season who being suspected be to the Seditious persons the Romans killed them without This evil
into the City Therefore Schimeon sent certain to fetch Amittai and his four sons unto him They that were sent brought Amittai and but three of his sons for one was fled to the Romans and came to Joseph When Amittai with the other were brought to Schimeons presence he besought him he might not live but to be put to death by and by lest saith he I should live to see the death of my children But Schimeon was hard-hearted and would not be intreated for it was Gods will that Amittai should be punished because he was the bringer of Schimeon into Jerusalem and therefore fell he into his hands which for good rewarded him with evil Schimeon commanded a sort of murderers to place Amittai upon the walls in the sight of the Romans and said unto him Seest thou Amittai Why do not the Romans deliver and rescue thee out of my hands thee I say which wouldest have fled away unto them Amittai answered nothing to this but still besought him before his death he might kisse his sons and bid them farewell but Schimeon utterly denied him Wherefore Amittai wept aloud saying to his sons I brought dear children I brought this thief into this Townâ—… wherefore I am counted now for a thief my self All the mischief which is come upon me and you it is mine own doing because I have brought this seditious villain into this holy City I thought then Peradventure he will be a help to the Town but it is proved contrary for he hath been a most cruel enemy to the same It was not enough for us to keep one seditious person Jehochanan I mean which took unto him Eleazar the first beginner of sedition but I must bring in also this wicked Schimeon which is joyned to our foes to destroy us Indeed I never brought him in for any love that I bare unto him but all the Priests and the whole multitude of the people sent me to fetch him notwithstanding I am worthy of this just judgement of God because I took upon me such an embassage What should I speak of thee thou most wicked Schimeon for whithersoever thou turnest thee thou bringest all things out of frame Indeed thou deaâ—…est justly with me because I have sinned unto God to his people and his City in that I have brought thee in to be a plague to it wherefore I am worthy to be stoned Notwithstanding it had been thy part thou wicked murderer to deliver me and my sons from the hands of the other Seditious for I have wrought them displeasure but to thee have I done good Howbeit our God will not alter nor change his judgements which is that I should fall into the sword of thy hand for that I made thee to enter into this City wherein I offended God grievously If I had purposed to flee unto the Romans could I not have done it before I brought in thee for at that time bearedst thou no rule over us and before we called in thee Jehochanan with his sedition was an offence unto this City Wherefore we perswaded all the Ancients of the Town that thou shouldest be an aid unto us to drive out our foes but thou in whom we put our trust art become our enemy yea thou hast been worse than they for the other put men to death privily thou dost it openly Who is he that hath strengthened the power of the Romans Art not thou he which hast killed the Souldiers of God in the midst of the City of Jerusalem for few have been slain without Titus would have made peace with us taking pity upon us but thou didst lett and hinder it every day moving new Wars and stirring new battels Titus gave charge to his souldiers to lay no hand upon the Temple but thou hast polluted and defiled the Temple of the Lord shedding blood without measure in the midst thereof Titus went back from us upon the holy day of the Lord and ceased from fighting saying Go and observe your holy Feasts in peace but thou unhallowedst the Feasts of the Lord and puttedst out the continual fire with innocent blood All these evils which thou hast committed thou murderer are imputed unto me because I brought thee into the Town Now therefore this vengeance is appointed to mine age by the Lord God and by thy hands shall I go to my grave with sorrow because I by my foolishnesse was an actor in this mischief that is wrought by thee Albeit now thou wicked Schimeon in this that thou killest me ere that mine eyes may see the burning of the Temple it pleaseth me very well But what needest thou murderer to put my sons to death before my face Why doest thou not spare mine age would God that as I shall not see the burning of the Temple so also I might not see the blood of my children shed before my face But what shall I do when God hath delivered me into the hands of a most wicked man We that were the ancients of Jerusalem abhorred Jehochanan because he murdered old men without all reverence but he slew no young men thou destroyest old and young great and small without any pity or mercy Jehochanan mourned for the dead and buried them also but thou playest upon instruments at their burials singest to the Lute and soundest the Trumpet Then spake he to Schimeons servant who was ready with a sword in his hand and an axe to kill him and to cut off his head sâ—…ying Go to now and execute Schimeon thy Master's commandment Behead the sons in the sight of their father and let me hear the voice of thy cruelty in my sons which notwithstanding I forgive thee for as I shall hear and see that against my will so I dare say thou killest them not willingly Would God that Schimeon would suffer me to kisse my sons and whiles I am yet living to embrace them ere they die But thou gentle minister in one thing shew thy pity towards me that when thou hast put my sons and me to Execution separate not our bodies neither lay their corps asunder from mine but so that my body may lie uppermost and cover theirs to defend them from the fowls of the air lest they devour my sons bodies for it so may come to passe that they may be buried I beseech thee also that my mouth and lips when I am dead may touch my sons faces that so I may both embrace and kisse them But what do I delay or linger any longer seeing the enemies deny me this to kisse them vvhiles vve are yet alive See thou therefore that our bodies be not severed and if Schimeon will not permit this that our bodies may be joyned in this world yet can he not lett our Souls to be joyned for after I shall be once dead I doubt not but I shall see the Light of the Lord. His sons hearing their fathers words began to weep very sore with their father who said unto them Alas my sons Why weepye What
thou hold thy hand and not execute thine anger against these transgressours of thy will which when Schimeon heard of he commanded them to be apprehended and killed them with his own hands Eleazar the son of Anani the Priest seeing the malice and wickednesse of Schimeon to be great and that he destroyed the just and godly men of the City and that there was no hope left he betook himself to the Tower of Jerusalem remained in it and kept it with his Jehudas also a Captain over a thousand men which kept a Turret that Schimeon had made to put just and good men in got him upon the top of the walls and cryed to the Romans if peradventure they would deliver him and the rest that were at Jerusalem Wherefore he went about to escape with his one thousand men that he had with him and came towards the Romans But the Romans trusted them not thinking he had spoken this for deceit wherefore they came not to help him Schimeon upon this killed Jehudas and the thousand men which he had with him and commanded their bodies to be tumbled over the walls in the sight of the Romans Then Schimeon cryed to the Princes and Captains of the Romans saying Lo these are Jehudas company these would have come forth unto you take their carcases to you and revive them again if you can or else deliver the rest which yet live out of our hands Gorion the Priest father of Joseph the Priest who wrot this Book to the Israelites was at that time in bonds and prison in a certain Turret a man of great age being a hundred and thirty and no man could come unto him nor from him Joseph therefore went to the Turret where his father was kept to understand how he did He beheld also the Turret afar off if he might espv his father and comfort him And as he passed by looking up to the Turret the Seditious hurled a stone at him which hit him on the head that it overthrew him The Seditious seeing Joseph cast out of his Chariot determined to go down unto him but when Titus had knowledge thereof he sent a great strength to help him up again and to defend him that his enemies did him no wrong The Seditious going about to take Joseph sounded a Trumpet very loud which when Josephs mother that was kept in Schimeons house heard being now 87 years of age asked what was the cause of the hurly burly they told her that the Seditious issued out at that shout against Joseph to take him When she heard that by and by she run out of the house that she was kept in and climbed up the walls as lustily as thâ—…ugh she had been a young girle of 14 years old â—…ore her hair and cryed out weeping and saying before all them that were present Is my hope then come to this Could I ever have looked that I should have overlived my son and that I should not be suffered to see him and to bury him I had trusted he should have buried me and that he should have been a help to me in mine age and when my whole Family by the Seditious was almost made away and extinguished yet I said This shall comfort me Now therefore what shall I do when I have none left to comfort me of all my children that I bare for between the Seditious and the Gentiles our enemies they have slain 18. sons that I had and what shall I do now from henceforth but covet death for I desire not to live now any longer And how should I receive any consolation when I see my son dead and I cannot bury him Lord that I might dye by and by for I cannot live any longer since my son Joseph is now dead She went up yet further upon the walls till she came to the Turret where her husband was in prison and stretch't out her hands towards heaven crying with a loud voyce O my son Joseph my son Where art thou come and speak unto me and comfort me The Seditious hearing her laught her to scorn but the Romans when they heard her and understood by Joseph that it was his mother they wept and lamented her case and many of the Jews also that were in Jerusalem but they were fain to refrain it lest they should be perceived of Schimeons cruell cut-throats Then Josephs mother said to the Seditious that were with her upon the walls Why do ye not kill me also which bare Joseph my son and nurst him with these breasts Ye enemies of the Lord have murdered him with other just men Why kill ye not me also God be Judge betwixt me and you who have killed my son guiâ—…tlesse The Seditious answered her Canst thou not if thou list tumble down over the wall and die we will give thee leave When thou hast done so the Romans shall take thee up and bury thee honourably because that thou art Josephs Mother who is their friend She answered How shaâ—…l I do this evil unto my self to kill my self and constrain my soul to go forth of my body before that â—…od doth call it if I should do so I should have no hope left in the World to come for no body will bury them whom they perceive to have killed themselves These and such like while she reasoned wisely the Seditious heard and mocked her wherefore she wept the more abundantly so that the Romans and some godly men hearing her wisdom could not abstain from weeping Joseph when he heard the voice of his Mother got on armour and approached to the wall accompanied with most valiant Romans to defend him from the arrows of the Jews and spake to his Mother Fear not my dear Mother nor take any thought for me for I have escaped the hands of the Seditious God hath not suffered me to come into their hands wherefore I have heard the words of these wicked counsellours that advised thee to kill thy self and thine answer to them which before thou gavest them I knew thou wouldest answer God forbid say I God forbid that Josephs Mother and the Wife of Gorion should consent to the counsel of the wicked Wherefore my dear Mother be content and bear the yoke of the Seditious patiently and humble thy self before them Neither strive against the miseries and calamities of this time which thou caust not alter nor remedy For they shall perish but we shall stand and continue There were certain men of Jerusalem at that time that came to the Gates overcame the Ward and got out with their Wives and Children and so escaped to the Romans because they could no longer abide the famine and the iniquity of the Seditious They were faithful Citizens and of great authority whom when Joseph heard of he so prevailed that Titus spared them and received them to mercy For Joseph bare witnesse and reported of them that they were Noble men of Jerusalem wherefore the Romans received them and gave them food and sustenance but
certain of them could not brook nor take it because of their great hunger wherewith they had been long pined and when the meat descended down into their bellies they died straight Their little Children also when they saw bread they fell upon it and received it indeed with their teeth but they were not able to chew it and died holding the bread between their teeth Titus seeing them die when they tasted the meat had pity and compassion upon them and was very sorry saying unto Joseph What shall I do for thy people which assoon as they begin to eat die straightway Joseph answered My Lord I remember I have seen this experience that they which fast long and after would take meat first they must drink a little sodden milk or else eat of a certain corn called Simel sodden in milk wherewith they strengthen their bowels before they take meat especially such as walked through wildernesses whose bowells were long empty when they came to places inhabited and found meat they were wont to use this means Therefore Titus commanded his men to do as Joseph bad them whereby many of the Jews recovered and many died of the flux These Jews which escaped thus out of Jerusalem to the Camps of the Romans had swallowed their Gold Silver and precious Stones to hide them lest they should be found of the Seditious They therefore which recovered and brooked meat when they would satisfie Nature they went alone out of the Camp and after sought their Gold and Silver and precious Stones which were digested in their excrements and so did they every day At length certain Aramites and Arabians espying the Jews to use this fashion told it amongst their fellows one to another and made a conspiracy to lay wait for the Jews and whomsoever they got they ript their bellies to find the Gold and other Jewels which the Jews had hid there And by this means the Aramites and Arabians had murthered two thousand Jews But when Titus heard of this he was wonderful wroth and commanded them to be apprehended that had done this wicked deed and to be put to death whose goods were given to the Jews that remained alive They that were put to death for this fact were two thousand Aramites and Arabians together After this Titus espyed the Princes and Captains to have decked their Armour with Gold and Silver some of them also to wear Golden Scepters and some Scepters of Silver with other Ornaments upon their heads he called them together and said unto them Lay away this vain ostentation these things are they that provoked the Aramites and Arabians to work this wickedness against these poor miserable Jews which fled forth unto us that they might live under our protection The captains therefore and Princes of the Romans hearing Titus commandment were obedient and straight laid away from them those Ornaments of Gold and Silver Titus also gave commandment that the rest of the Arabians and Aramites shou d be banished the Camp and that no man hereafter should commit any such haynous deed against the Jews Notwithstanding when as any Aramite or Arabian could get any Jew far out of the Camp that no man might see it he killed him Of the Romans in the Camp no man either did or said any evil unto the Jews save certain ungodly Ruffians which had learned of the Aramites and Arabians those evil and wicked pranks for they also when they chanced to meet with any Jew out of the Camp if there were no man by they killed him and took away his Gold and Silver that lay hid in his bowels When this came to Titus's ear he commanded to make Proclamation in this wise Whosoever he be that hath seen heard or known any thing of this horrible deed which is committed of certain Romans upon the Jews or whosoever hath done any such thing himself let him come and make relation unto Titus which if he do the matter shall be forgiven him if not he shall bear the burden of his own wickednesse and stand at his peril if any thing be proved against him hereafter Therefore certain Romans who were conscious to themselves that they had committed the deed and being afraid of Titus reasoned with themselves thus If we do not confesse unto him the truth he will by his wisdom search out these offenders and punish them to death Wherefore trusting unto Titus's words of the Proclamation they came all whosoever had either done it himself or known other to do it and declared it to Titus saying This have I done This have I known This was I accessary unto and have not hitherto made thee privy thereunto There were of them in number 320â—… men that made this Confession All those Titus commanded to be cast into hot Ovens and to be burned This done the Jews were more safe ever after in the Romans Camp without any jeopardy no man hurting them either in word or deed yea if any Roman found a Jew abroad wandring he conducted him gently and peaceably into the Camp There was a certain Scribe of Jerusalem at that time a faithful man whose name was Menachen son of Seruk the Scribe whose Ancestours had served Esdras the Scribe of worthy memory in Babylon and being a keeper of the East gate which was in Jerusalem upon that side towards the Brook Kidron noted the number of the dead that were carried forth to burying by that Gate and found they came to 115. thousand eight hundred and eight persons which were all of the Nobles and Gentlemen or at least of the substantiallest men of the Jews Titus upon a time Joseph being present asked the question of those Princes of the Jews which were fled unto him saying I charge you upon your fidelity to shew me how many Jews be dead in the Town since the time I besieged it to this day They gave him the number therefore every man as far as they knew of the dead that were carried forth at all the gates to be buried and the sum amounted to 700575. besides them that every where lay dead in the houses and streets and besides them also that were slain in the Temple and they that lay here and there unburied Which when Titus heard he marvelled greatly and said It is well known to the Lord God of heaven that I am not the cause of these evils for I desired to be at peace with them oftner than once but the Seditious evermore would have nothing but War War CHAP. III. AT that time the hunger began to wax very great in the Town ' amongst the Seditious who never lackt before for they took it alwaies from other men by force till now at length they were distressed with hunger themselves so that after they had eaten up all their horses they ate also their dung and the leather of the Chariots neither was there left any green Boughes on the trees nor any herbs that the Seditious might get to eat For the Romans had hewed down
all the trees and cut down all the bushes round about Jerusalem by the space of thirteen miles so that the whole field and territory of Jerusalem was spoyled which heretofore was replenished with marvellous goodly gardens and most pleasant Paradises After that the Romans made up another Iron Ram very terrible this they bended against the walls to see if there were any souldiers left in the Town so stout as they were in times past When the Captains of the Seditious saw that they issued out with their companies against the Romans and slue very many of them in that skirmish Wherefore Titus said It is not wisdom to fight with them any more but rather with the Rams to shake and batter the wall for they have no more but this wall left and so we may bring our whole Army at once upon them and subdue the Seditious This counsell of Titus was liked of all the Princes and people The Captains of the Seditious mistrusting what the Romans intended that they would be occupied hereafter in battering the wall began to build a countermure within overgainst the place where the Romans wrought with their Ram which was in the Plain by the Tomb of Jochanan the high Priest for there was none other place besides that they might approach unto with their Rams and there the Rams had mâ—…de two breaches in the two other walls before The Seditious made this Countermure because they were not able to burn the Iron Ram as they had done before being now almost famished and so pin'd away that they could scarce stand upon their Legs For if they had been so lusty as they were before and able to set the Engines on fire the Romans had never been able to win the Town but should have been compelled to leave the assault as they were constrained to give over skirmishing and fighting On a certain time when the Romans fled the Seditious pursuing and killing many of them said The Romans will be weary leave off their siege and go their waies that we may dwell at liberty and turn to the Lord our â—…od And when they returned at this time or at any other time prosperously into the Town they oppressed the people more cruelly exacting food of them and saying Give us meat if ye will not we will eat your flesh and your sons But the Romans took courage to themselves to fight stoutly and said one to another Let us stick to it hard and be valiant in our fights it shall be a shame for us to flee from these feeble and hunger-starved Jews which are more like dead Images than living persons Therefore they began most earnestly to set upon the walls and to make a battery suddenly they beat down a great part of that inner wall which the Jews had newly erected and gave a great shout saying Jerusalem is won we have gotten the Town But when they looked a little further they espyed another countermure raised over against the breach Wherefore the Jews thorow the Town gave also a great shout and sounded their Trumpets rejoycing that they had another new Countermure for that which was battered down The same was in Captains Jehochanans Ward The Romans seeing the countermure and hearing the Jews make such triumphs in the Town were much astonied all their joy was dashed and turned into dumps so that they could not tell what they should do with that stubborn people of Jerusalem which had done them such damages The Romans set upon the Town again another way whom Titus willed to remove the Engine and to bend it to the new wall whiles it was yet green and unsetled saying Let us batter it and we shall see it fall by and by and then shall we enter the Town The Roman Captains followed not Titus counsell but scaled the walls which they had battered The Jews therefore defending their Countermure â—…ought with the Romans within the breach repulsed them from the wall and the Town and so having abated much the strength of the Romans returned to their quarters Then said some of the Romans We will never besiege this Town any longer for we shall not be able to get it while we live And therefore let us break up and depart before we be all destroyed with this siege for except we do so we shall be consumed therein Titus seeiâ—…g his souldiers to make so hard a matter of the winning of the Town called them all together and said unto them Tell me now ye Roman Captains do ye not know that all wars and other business whatsoever they be are more hard and require greater diligence in the end then in the beginning In which who so travel if they faint in the end do they not labour in vain Even as your labour shall be in vain if ye give over the siege now Consider a Ship when it hath compassed the whole Sea and is now ready to arrive at the shore being troubled with a Tempest if the Mariners should then be negligent the Ship may be easily lost and all they which are in it perish the Mariners disappointed of their purpose in that they shall not attain unto the place which they coveted to come unto Likewise builders if they finish not their work but leave off afore they make an end is not all their labour lost and spent in vain Husbandmen also if they till their ground and then sow it with seed shall they not lose their pains unless they will also mow it In like manner you have fought very long against this City many valiant Captains and worthy men have been slain and now you may see the strongest walls of the Town are broken and made equall with the earth the people your adversaries consumed with hunger pestilence and sword what shall it then avail you all that ever you have done if you slack your diligence and will not finish the work of the siege Have ye not then imployed your labour in vain And why should this new wall so dismay you Yea why do you not prepare your selves to beat down this new Wall which yet is slenderer then the other three that ye have cast down If so be ye would determine to leave off the siege had it not been better for you to have done it at the beginning whiles your Army was yet whole Now when as you are few and your most valiant Souldiers slain why do you not rather choose to dye then to live Did not you once enter this Town in the time of Nero Caesar and defend the honor of his name now therefore when Vespasian my father raigneth who is not only of greater power then Nero but also more gentle toward you then ever was Nero If you should abate and slack your endeavour diligence it should be to your great shame and reproach Why take ye not example of these Jews valiantness whom now already sword pestilence and famine bath wasted so that they have no hope left nevertheless they fight still and never
give over Do you not see every day how some of them issue out of their Town and boldly assail you not without jeopardy of their lives insomuch that oftentimes they die for it Which things they do for none other cause then to get them praise and renown for their great prowess When Titus had well debated these and such like things in the ears of his souldiers a certain valiant man named Sabianus said unto his fellows Who so dare go to assault these Jews let him come hither to me that we may fulfill the Command of Caesars Son our Lord and Captain And forthwith he took his Target and his drawn Sword in his hand made toward the Town with a eleven tall fellowes following him whose valiantnesse and courage Titus wondred at greatly The Jews kept their ward upon that part of the wall where the Romans had a repulse of late so when they saw Sabianus and his company draw fast toward them they began to assail them with stones and arrows but Sabianus setting light at them charged home upon the Jews Shortly one of the Jews met with him and gave him such a blow that he felled him to the ground yet he gat up again and fought for all that manfully and as one that had rather leave his life than the reputation of his valour he did fight till another Israelite came and â—…lew him out-right Three also of his fellows were killed fighting valiantly in that place the other 8. returned to the Camp so sore wounded that they died the next day every one Further other Romans seeing Sabianus act and studying to do the like the next night they took counsel about 20. of them and agreed to assault the Town This their enterprise when they declared to the Standard-bearer of Titus he and many other of the Romans went with them They all scaling together and clammering up the breaches gat up upon the wall sounding a Trumpet and gave a great shout The Jews being at their rest as men opprest with hunger and weariness and hearing this Alarum and shout of the Romans were wonderfully amazed not knowing what the matter was or how they should defend themselves Titus also heard the shout and when he had enquired the matter he chose out certain valiant men and drew towards the breaches with them In the mean season the day was broken and the Jews rising from their sleep espyed Titus upon the walls and marvelled thereat greatly The Romans therefore gathering toward Titus came very thick into the Town some by the breaches of the wall and other some through the vault whereby the Jews were wont now and then to make irruptions and to recover themselves within the Town again The Jews set themselves in aray against the Romans in the very entry of the Temple upon whom the Romans ran with their drawn swords for they had no other armour nor the Jews neither being so hastily taken at such a sudden The battel waxed very hard and wonderful vehement on both parties the like was never seen in Jerusalem nor heard of in any time for every man clave hard to his next fellow no man could flee on any side Wherefore the battel waxt strong with clamours and shouts on both parties now the joyful shouts of the vanquishers now the wailings on the other side of them that were put to the worse The Romans encouraged and exhorted one another to fight saying This is the day which we have long looked for The Jews again took heart unto them saying It boots not to flee hence but for the glory of the Lord and his Temple let us die â—…anfully as necessity constraineth us and so doing we shall be counted for sacrifices and offerings Which earnestnesse on both sides filled the entry of the Court of the Lord with blood that it stood like unto a pool or pond And that fight continued from the morning till that time four dayes Then a certain souldier of Titus's whose name was Golinus a valiant man as was ever amongst all the company of Kurtus seeing the Jews prevail and to have the upper-hand of the Romans which now had left off fighting and fled the Jews pursuing them in a rage he ran against them and met them at the wall which Herod builded called Antochia drove them back and made them to take the entrance of the Temple again where preasing into the forces of the Jews he was wounded of a certain Jew And when he perceived himself wounded he would have lept back but stumbled at a slone in the pavement of the Court of the Temple and fell down where he fought yet still till a certain Jew killed him out-right He fought indeed very boldly and valiantly but unwarily for he considered not his ground wherein he had to do with the Jews Titus waiting for Golinus return and hearing him to be slain would have gone himself to rescue the rest of his that were with him but his men would not suffer him fearing lest he himself should be slain The Jews therefore got the upper hand that day and slew very many Romans in that battel spoyling them also which were killed of their armour These were the names of the Jews that made the skirmish Of the Company of Captain Jehochanan Elasa and Iphtach of Schimeons Company Malchiah and Jaicob a Prince of the Edomites and Arsimon and Jehuda of the Company of Eleazar the son of Anani These with their Companies made this slaughter of the Romans in the entrance of the Temple and drove them back to Antochia where they kept them up that they could not get out Wherefore when Titus perceived that the Antochia was in the Romans way and hindred them he caused it to be razed and pulled down to the ground These things were done upon the fifth day of May the third moneth upon the even of the solemn Festival day of weeks which otherwise is called Pentecost and that was the 14th moneth from the beginning of Titus's siege against this City Shortly after upon the third day of the Feast of weeks the Jews as many as were at Jerusalem kept holy dayes and celebrated the Feast Titus taking with him Joseph the son of Gorion went into the house of the Sanctuary where the Seditious and souldiers of the Jews were gathered together and called unto Jehochanan and the rest of the Captains of the Seditious to whom he spake by the means of Joseph being his Interpreter in this wise What hath this Temple offended thee thou seditious Jehochanan Why hast thou brought upon it this great evil and mischief If so be thou trust so much to thy strength Come forth to us with thy men into the fields and we shall fight with thee thy fill Is not this your solemn Festival Day Why then will ye fight in the place where ye should offer your sacrifice Ye pollute and defile the Sanctuarie of your God and his Name and we spare it knowing it is the House of God
of Israel Some interpreâ—…ed this of the King of Israel but the Priests said It is the King of the Romans The whole Roman Army being now come into the Temple and the Jews fled to Moâ—…nt Sion the Romans set up their â—…dols in the Lords Temple and railed at the Jews It happened that there came down to the Romans a little boy of the Priests from Mount Sion to a Captain of the Wall Keeper of the Temple desiring him to give him some water he taking pity on the boy gave him some the boy taking the vessel the water was in first drank himself then ran away with the rest the Captain made shew to run after him but let him go of puâ—…pose Once when the Romans were at their sacrifice with Titus some Priests came and besought him that he would not kill them he answered Why do you wish to live now and not rather dye with your brethren who have suffered death for Gods sake and for the sake of this House whereupon he commanded they should be all slain After Schimeon and Jehochanan sent to Titus for peace he answered This thing ye seek too late but how cometh it to pass that you beg your lives now being so few and that ye have wasted all things so desperately ye desire life and yet persevere in your malice still holding your swords in your hands have we not now taken your City Temple and the Sanctum Sanctorum What is there left for you to put hope in Therefore cast away your swords and lay down your armour and then if you come to me I know what I hâ—…ve to do peradventure I shall be gracious unto you Schimeon and Jehochanan answered We have sworn by the Lord our God who is God of Heaven and Earth thâ—…t we will never bear thy yoak nor serve thee or make any peace to be subject to thee therefore if it be thy pleasure to shew us mercy we will take our journey into the wilderness in granting this we will report to have found favour if not we will remain in this place to see what manner of death we shall dye Titus hearing this was much incensed and said remains the pride of your hearts and the hardness of your neck still with you though ye be Captives dare ye yet be so bold as to say ye have sworn not to endure our yoak Then Titus gave commandment to the Romans not to omit any opportunity to set upon the Seditious and by one means or other to destroy Schimeon and Jehochanan There was at that time a certain man of the Royall Blood whose name was Serach he accompanied with all his brethren and Sons that were there with him of the Kings blood came down from the Moâ—…nt Sion â—…o Titus who received them honorably and gently ordered them When Jehochanan and Schimeon understood that Serach and the reâ—…t were gone and had yielded themselves to Titus they went and set fire upon all â—…at was in the Kings Pallace that the Romans should have no â—…modity thereby From thence they went to the Temple where they found certain Commanders and Captains whom Titus had put in authority about the Temple of whom thâ—…ee were chief one Captain of the hoâ—…semen tâ—…e second of the Chariots and the third of the footmâ—…n him they killed and took hâ—…s companion alive One of them besought thâ—…m that had taken him that he might be bâ—…ought to Schimeon their Captain Let him saith he do with me as he list and in this one thing let me finâ—… favour at your hands They agreed and brought him to Schimeon who commanded his servants as soon as he was come to slay him But while he that was appointed to this business made delay and killed him not by and by he whipt down off the hill escaped and came to Titus who commanded him out of his sight being wroth with him that he had not fought unto death rather then to be taken alive But with the Jews was he wonderfully displeased that they had so despighâ—…ully ordered his men wherefore he commanded to kill all the Jews as many as could be found in the â—…ets of the City whom he would have spared before and caused proclamation to be made throughout all his Camp for their safety Then died many of the Jews â—…o that every place was full of dead bodies The men of War of the Edomâ—…tes which were with Schimeon perceiving how the matter went sent Embassadors to Titus to desire pâ—…ace and to save their lives which when it came to Schimeons ear he went unto them and slew the chief of them and their Noblemen the rest of the people of the Edomites fled unto Titus From that time forth Titus commanded his men to use no more cruelty to the Jews Soon after fled Jehochanan and Sâ—…himeon and hid themselves in certain caves The rest of the chief men of the Jews that were with them seeing them now to be fled came down from the Mount to Titus and fell down upon their faces before him upon the ground whom Titus received gently As for the Seditious that were witâ—… Schimeon and Jehochanan they fought till they all died together Then came forth unto Titus one Joshua a Priest son of Schaftai the High Priest bringing with him two Candlesticks of gold which were in the Sanctuary and the Tables of gold with other vessels of silver and gold and also the holy vestures decked with gold and precious stones all those he gave to Titus who made him chief Priest over them that remained next unto Joseph the Priest for Titus gave Joseph authority as well over the Priests and Leviâ—…es as over the whole people oâ—… the Jews Then was Gorion the Father of Joseph that writ this History brought out of prison with his wife and children among whom was one Bonian Josephs younger brother he was a very wise and godly Priest by whom God bestowed many benefits upon â—…e Israelites for Titus left him at Jerusalem and took him not with him as he did Joseph Josephs father lived after the City was taken twenty moneths and died They took also one Phineas a Priest who was keeper of the treasure-house he bewrayed and detected to the Romans all the Treasures of the Priests and their Vestments He gave also unto Titus a most precious oil with sweet odours and perfumes and garments also of purple which the Kings of the second Temple had given Wherefore both this Phineas and Joshua whom we mentioned before transgressed the Covenant of the Lord and offended God in that they deâ—…ivered his Jewels to the enemies of his people which they ought not to have done but rather to have died for the glory of the Lord as the other Priests did which cast themselves into the fire Thus was the City of Jerusalem taken with all the precious things that were therein And Tiâ—…us went up to Mount Sion took it and razed the walls thereof Three dayes after Jehochanan sore vext with hunger left
Priest Mâ—…reover Titus was minded to have put Rabby Gamaliel father of Râ—…hbag to death but Rabby Jochâ—… son of 〈◊〉 made suice for him and obtained pardon for his life This Râ—…bby Jochanan was he that came forth of Jerusalem in the beginning when Vâ—…spasian father of Titus came first against Jerusalem whom Vespasian honoured greatly insomuch that when he returned to Rome he commended this Râ—…bby Jochanan to his son Titus commanding him to honour him for he perceived he was a wise man Titus râ—…igned two years after he had taken Jerusalem anâ—… died He was a very eloquent 〈◊〉 expert in the Laâ—…ne and Greek Tongue and writ divers Works in both Tongues He loved most intirely justice and equity for he wasted the City of Jerusalem against his will and being compelled thereunto â—…ea all the mischief that came upon it hapned through the malice and naugâ—…ness of the Seditious as we have touched before THE Ten Captivities OF THE JEWES THe Israelites were Ten times led into Captivity Four times by the hands of Sanherib and Four times by Nabuchadnezzar Once by Vespasian and Once by superstitious Adrian First invaded them Sanherib and transporthe Rubenites the Gadites and the half tribe of Manosseh He took away also the golden Calf which Jeroboam the son of Nebat had made He led them into Helah Habor to the River of Gozan and to the â—…ities of the Medes This Captivity was in the time of Pekah the son of Remaliah The second Captivity Hosea the son of Ela remained and slue Pekah the son of Remalâ—…h After he became the servant and subject of Sanherib seven years Then came Sanherib the second time and carried away the tribes of Asar Isachar Zebulon and Nephtali of whom he let go free only one of every eight He took away also another â—…alf that was in Bethel After the death of Ahaz raigned Zedekia his son in his stead four years The fourth year of whose raign Sanherib came and intrenched about Samarâ—…a besieging it three years and at length took it in the sixt year of the raign of Hizkiahu So led he away the Israelites that were in Samaria the tribe of Ephraim and Mannasse This is the third Captivity When Nebuchadnezzar had raigned eight years he made wars against Jerusalem bringing with him the Chutean Hereticks out of Babylon Ethiopia Hemates Avim and Sepharvavim and as he warred upon Judea he took in that Country a hundred and fifty Cities in the which there were two tribes Juda and Simeon whom he took with him and caused them forthwith to be led into Halah and Habar untill the King of the Ethiopians rebelled against him whose kingdom was on the hinder parts of Egypt Then taking Juda and Simeon with him he made war with the King of Ethiopia So the holy and blessed God placed them in the dark mountains Here was four Captivities whereby ten tribes went into exile by Sanherib There remained yet of Juda one hundred and ten thousand and of Benjamin one hundred and thirty thousand in the City of Jerusalem over whom raigned Hizkiahu Moreover Sanherib came out of Ethiopia against Jerusalem again leading with him one hundred and ten thousand but the holy Lord overthrew him there as it is written And the Angel of the Lord issuing forth smote in the house of Asar 175 thousand men His people therefore was slain and no man left but Sanherib and his two sons and Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuzaraden this slaughter was in the fourteenth year of Hizkâ—… From which overthrow untill the time that Nebuchadnezzar invaded the Jews in the raign of Jehojakim were a hundred and seven years The fourth year of Jehojakim came Nebuchadnezzar the first time and carried away three thousand and twenty and three of the tribes of Juda and Benjamin and of other tribes seven thousand all the able men and all their power binding them with chains This is the fift captivity Seven years after this Captivity came Nebuchadnezzar another time unto Dophna a City of Antioch from whence he led four thousand and six hundred of the tribe of Juda and of Benjamin fifty thousand of the other tribes seven thousand This transmigration made he in Babylon which is the sixt Captivity Furthermore betwixt the sixt bondage and the seventh were nine years of the raign of Zidkiahu When Nebuchadnezzar had raigned nineteen years he came the third time unto Jerusalem and overcoming Zidkiahu he burnt the Temple and took away the Pillars the brazen Sea and the furnitures that Solomon made and all the vessels of the house of the Lord and the â—…reasures of the house of the King which was in Jerusalem all the vessels he sent to Babylon He slew also of the Israelites nine hundred and one thousand besides them that were slain to revenge the blood of Zacharias The Levites stood singing a song whiles â—…laughter was made of them but they were not able to finish it before the enemies entred the Temple and found them standing in their place with harps in their hands Therefore he carried away in this Captivity the Levites which were of the seed of Moses six hundred thousand whom when the Gentiles had brought unto the Rivers of Babylon they demanded of the Jews Sing us a song of Sion And by and by they gnawed off the tops of their fingers with their teeth saying How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange Land And the blessed Lord seeing that they would not sing a song he enlarged them and placed them on the further side of Sambatia Moreover he translated and carried away eight hundred and thirty two thousand which were all of the tribe of Juda and Benjamin whereof he left in Jerusalem six thousand setting over them for their Ruler Gedalia the son of Ahikam who was slain after by Ishmael the son of Natania whereupon the Isrâ—…elites being afraid fled from their Country into Egypt This is the seventh transmigration and 〈◊〉 The 27. year of the raign of Nebuchadnezzar he â—…ook Egypt and Tyre drowned the Jews that were therein and the Nations which descended of Amon and Moab and of the Land bordering upon Israel and led Jeremy and Baruch with them into Egypt This is the eighth Captivity Then the Israelites that remained alive in Egypt departed unto Alexandria and remained in it untill they grew and increased unto many thousands and who so saw not their glory saw no glory in his time For there was in it the Sanctuary the Altar the offerings incenses the ordinance of bread of faces the houses of studies and schools without number men of great substance riches and power But wicked Troganus made war upon them and slew very many of them After came Alexander against them who slew also many of them These are the eight Captivities or bondages which befell in the first House and time of the first Temple After the desolation of the first House seventy years Cyrus the son of Esther sent unto Nehemiah Zerubbabel