2 Maccabees — The Coverdale Bible (1535)

2 Maccabees retells the struggle under Judas Maccabeus, with the martyrdoms of Eleazar and of the seven brothers and their mother. In Coverdale’s Bible of 1535 it stands in the Apocrypha, which Coverdale gathered into a section of their own under the heading “The seconde boke Of the Machabees”. Coverdale’s summary of the chapters stands before the text; the 1535 Bible has no verse numbers, so the text keeps its own paragraphs, in 15 chapters, with the marginal notes and references printed after each chapter. The copy transcribed lacks a leaf here (2 Maccabees 12:31 - 14:15); that text is supplied from Bagster’s 1838 reprint of the edition and marked off in the text.

What this boke conteyneth.

• Chap. I. The Iewes wryte vnto Aristobolus of the clensynge of the temple, and of the feast of tabernacles. Of the fyre that was hyd in the pyt.
• Chap. II. What Ieremy requyred of the Iewes that were in preson, and of their stories.
• Chap. III. The Heithē kynges helde the temple at Ierusalem in honoure. The variaunce betwixte Simon and Onias. What Appollonius & Heliodorus dyd at Ierusalem. The punyshment of Heliodorus.
• Chap. IIII. The wickednes of Symon. The faithfulnesse of Onias. Iason laboureth to be hye prest. Of his wickednesse, and how he was dryuen awaye. The alteracion of the presthode. Andronicus destroyeth Onias, and God striketh him therfore.
• Chap. V. Wonderous thinges done at Ierusalem. Iason falleth vpon the cite, handleth abhominably, and yet is fayne to fleat the last. The kynge of Egipte taketh the cite agayne with greate bloudsheddynge.
• Chap. VI. The kynge procedeth forth in his tyranny, as well in other cities where the lawe of God is kepte, as at Ierusalem. All this sendeth God for the wickednes of the people. The stedfastnesse of Eleazar.
• Chap. VII. The death of the vij. brethrē & their mother. How constante they are to suffre, rather then to obeye the wicked kynge.
• Chap. VIII. The manlynesse of Iudas Machabeus, and how Philippe medleth against him Iudas conforteth his people, and ouercommeth Nicanor.
• Chap. IX. Of Antiochus and his pryde, & how God punyshed him.
• Chap. X. Machabeus wynneth the holy cite agayne, and clenseth it. Eupator foloweth his father Antiochus. Iudas Machabeus ordreth him self well.
• Chap. XI. What Lysias purposeth. Iudas with stondeth him, God taketh his parte. Lysias & Iudas are at one.
• Chap. XII. Timotheus, Appolonius and other, ymagin treason. Iudas Machabeus punysheth them, wynneth Caspin & other cities.
• Chap. XIII. Antiochus & Lysias make thē forth agaynst the Iewes. Iudas gathereth the people, & byddeth them call vpon God, goeth on, and besyde Modin striketh a greate batell.
• Chap. XIIII. Of Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus. The trayterous dealinge of Alcimus. Nicanor breaketh falsely the bonde made with Iudas Machabeus. Of the mālynes of Razis.
• Chap. XV. Nicanors wicked purpose. Iudas geueth his people godly consolacion Of his dreames and visions, and how Nicanor perished.

Chapter 1

THe brethrē of yᵉ Iewes which [A] be at Ierusalem & in the londe of Iewry, wish vnto those brethrē of yᵉ Iewes that are thorow out Egipte: good fortune, health and peace.

God the LORDE be gracious vnto you, & thynke vpon his couenaunt yᵗ he made wᵗ Abraham, Isaac & Iacob his faithfull seruauntes: and geue you all soch an herte,⁽¹⁾ that ye maye loue and serue him, yee and perfourme his wyll with an whole herte and of a wyllinge mynde: He opē youre hertes in his lawe and in his commaundementes, sende you peace: heare youre prayers, be at one with you, and neuer forsake you in tyme of trouble. This is heare oure prayer for you.

What tyme as Demetrius raigned, in the Clxix. yeare, we Iewes wrote vnto you in yᵉ trouble and violence that came vpon vs. In those yeares after that Iason departed out of the holy londe and kyngdome, they brent vp the portes, and shed innocent bloude. Then made we oure prayer vnto yᵉ LORDE, [B] and were herde: we offred, and lighted the candels, settinge forth cakes and bred. And now come ye vnto the feast of tabernacles in the moneth Casleu.⁽²⁾

In the Clxxxviij. yeare yᵉ people yᵗ was at Ierusalem and in Iewry, the councell and Iudas himself, sent this wholsome salutaciō vnto Aristobolus kynge Ptolomys master, which came of the generacion of the anoynted prestes: and to the Iewes that were in Egipte: In so moch as God hath delyuered vs from greate parels, we thanke him hylie, In that we resisted so mightie a kynge. And why? he brought men out of Persis by heapes, to fight agaynst vs and the holy cite. For as he was in Persis (namely, yᵉ captayne wᵗ the greate hoost) he perished in the temple of Naneas, beynge disceaued thorow the deuyce of Naneas prestes. For as he was purposed to haue dwelt there, Antiochus & his frēdes came thither, to receaue moch moneye for a dowry. So whē Naneas prestes had layed forth yᵉ moneye, he entred with a small company in to the compasse of the temple, and so they shut the temple.

Now when Antiochus entred by openynge [C] the preuy intraunce of the temple, yᵉ prestes stoned yᵉ captayne to death, hewed thē in peces that were with him, smote of their heades, and threwe them out. In all thinges God be praysed, which hath delyuered the wicked in to oure hondes.

Where as we now are purposed to kepe the purificacion of the temple vpon yᵉ xxv. daye of the moneth Casleu, we thought necessary to certifie you therof: that ye also might kepe the tabernacles feast daye, & the daye of the fyre, which was geuen vs when Nehemias offred, after that he had set vp yᵉ temple & the aulter. For what tyme as oʳ fathers were led awaye vnto Persis, yᵉ prestes (which then sought the honoʳ of God) toke yᵉ fyre priuely from yᵉ aulter, & hyd it in a valley, where as was a depe drye pyt: & therin they kepte it, because the place was vnknowne to euery man. Now after many yeares when it pleased God, yᵗ Nehemias shulde be sent from the kynge of Persia: he sent the childers children of those prestes (which had hyd the fyre) to seke it.⁽³⁾ And as they tolde vs, they founde no fyre, but thicke water.

[D] Thē cōmaunded he them to drawe it vp, & to brynge it him, & yᵉ offerynges withall. Now when yᵉ sacrifices were layed on & ordred, the prest Nehemias commaunded to sprenkle them & the wod wᵗ the water. Whē this was done, & the tyme come yᵗ the Sonne shone, which afore was hyd in the cloude: there was a greate fyre kyndled, In so moch yᵗ euery man marueled. Now all the prestes prayed, whyle the sacrifice was a makynge. Ionathas prayed first, and yᵉ other gaue answere.

And Nehemias prayer was after this maner: O LORDE God maker of all thinges, thou fearfull & stronge, thou righteous & mercifull, thou yᵗ art onely a gracious kynge, onely lyberall, onely iust, Allmightie and euerlastinge, thou yᵗ delyuerest Israel from all trouble, thou yᵗ hast chosen the fathers & halowed them: receaue the offeringe for the whole people of Israel, preserue thine owne porcion, & halowe it. Gather those together, yᵗ are scatred abrode from vs: delyuer them yᵗ are vnder the Heithēs bondage, loke vpon them which are despysed & abhorred, yᵗ the Heithen maie knowe & se, how yᵗ thou art oʳ God: Punyshe them yᵗ oppresse, and proudly put vs to dishonoure. Set yᵉ people agayne in thy holy place,⁽⁴⁾ like as Moses hath spokē.

[E] And the prestes songe Psalmes of thankesgeuynge, so lōge as the sacrifice endured. Now when the sacrifice was brent, Nehemias commaunded the greate stones to be sprenkled wᵗ the resydue of the water.⁽⁵⁾ Which when it was done, there was kyndled a flamme of thē also: but it was consumed thorow the light, yᵗ shyned from the aulter. So whē this matter was knowne, it was tolde the kynge of Persia, that in the place where the prestes (which were led awaye) had hyd fyre, there apeared water in steade of fyre, & that Nehemias & his company had purified the sacrifices withall. Then the kynge considerynge & ponderynge yᵉ matter diligently, made him a temple, to proue the thinge yᵗ was done. And whē he founde it so in dede, he gaue the prestes many giftes & dyuerse rewardes: yee he toke them wᵗ his owne hōde, & gaue thē. And Nehemias called the same place Nephthar, which is as moch to saye as a clensynge: but many men call it Nephi.

Notes to Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 6. a ⟨illegible⟩. 16. c

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 2

IT is founde also in the writinges of [A] Ieremy the prophet, yᵗ he commaunded them which were caried awaye, to take fyre, as it is sayde afore.⁽¹⁾ He cōmaunded them also,⁽²⁾ yᵗ they shulde not forget the lawe & cōmaundementes of the LORDE, & yᵗ they shulde not erre in their myndes,⁽³⁾ whē they se ymages of syluer & golde wᵗ their ornamentes. These & soch other thinges commaunded he them, & exorted them, that they shulde not lett the lawe of God go out of their hertes.

It is wrytten also, how the prophet (at yᵉ commaundement of God) charged them, to take the tabernacle & the arke wᵗ them: & he wente forth vnto the mountaine, where Moses clymmed vp, & sawe yᵉ heretage of God.⁽⁴⁾ And when Ieremy came there, he founde an open caue, wherin he layed the tabernacle, yᵉ arke & the aulter of incense, & so stopped the hole. There came certayne men together also folowinge him, to marck the place, but they coude not fynde it. Which when Ieremy [B] perceaued, he reproued thē, sayenge: As for that place, it shalbe vnknowne, vntill yᵉ tyme that God gather his people together againe, & receaue thē vnto mercy. Then shal God shewe them these thinges, & the maiesty of the LORDE shall appeare, & the cloude also, like as it was shewed vnto Moses:⁽⁵⁾ & like as when Salomon desyred yᵗ the place might be sanctified, & it was shewed him.⁽⁶⁾

For he beynge a wyse man, handled honorably & wysely: offerynge vnto God in yᵉ halowinge of the temple, when it was fynisshed.⁽⁷⁾ And like as when Moses prayed vnto the LORDE, the fyre came downe from heauen, & consumed the burnt offeringe: Euen so prayed Salomon also,⁽⁸⁾ & the fyre came downe from heauen, & cōsumed the burnt offeringe. And Moses sayde: because the syn offerynge was not eaten, therfore it is cōsumed. In like maner Salomon kepte the dedicacion (or halowynge) eight dayes.

[C] In yᵉ Annotacions & wrytynges of ⁽⁹⁾ Ieremy, were these thinges put also: & how he made a lybrary, & how he gathered out of all countrees the bokes of the prophetes, of Dauid, the epistles of the kynges, and of the presentes. Euen so Iudas also, loke what he lerned by experiēce of warre, & soch thinges as hath happened vnto vs, he gathered thē all together, & so we haue them by vs. Yf ye now desyre to haue the same, sende some body to fetch them vnto you. Whereas we thē are aboute to celebrate the purificacion, we haue written vnto you. Therfore ye shall do well, yf ye kepe the same dayes. We hope also, that the God (which delyuered his people, & gaue them all yᵉ heretage, kyngdome, presthode & Sanctuary yᵗ he promised them in the lawe) shal shortly haue mercy vpō vs,⁽¹⁰⁾ & gather vs together from vnder the heauē in to his holy place: for he hath saued vs frō greate parels, & hath clensed the place.

[D] As concernynge Iudas Machabeus & his brethren, the purificacion of the greate temple, the dedicacion of the aulter, yee & of the warres yᵗ cōcerne noble Antiochus and Eupator his sonne,⁽¹¹⁾ of the shyninges yᵗ came downe from heauen vpon those, which manfully defended the Iewes. (For though they were but fewe, yet defended they the whole londe, droue awaye yᵉ enemies hoost, recouered agayne the temple, yᵗ was spoken of thorow out all the worlde, delyuered the cite, doynge their best yᵗ the lawe of the LORDE which was put downe, might wᵗ all tranquilite be restored agayne vnto the LORDE, yᵗ was so mercifull vnto thē.) As touchinge Iason also of Cyren, we haue vnder takē cōpendiously to brynge in to one boke, the thinges yᵗ were cōprehended of him in fyue. For we cōsideringe the multitude of the bokes, and how harde it shulde be for them yᵗ wolde medle with stories and actes (and that because of so dyuerse matters) haue vnder taken so to comprehende the stories: that soch as are disposed to reade, might haue pleasure and pastyme therin: and that they which are diligent in soch thinges, might the better thinke vpon them: yee and that who so euer red them, might haue profit therby.

[E] Neuerthelesse we oure selues that haue medled with this matter for the shortenynge of it, haue taken no small laboure, but greate diligence, watchynges and trauayle. Like as they that make a feast, wolde fayne do other men pleasure: Euen so we also (for many mens sakes) are very wel content to take the laboure, where as we maye shortly comprehēde, the thynges that other men haue truly wrytten▪

For he yᵗ buyldeth an house a new, must prouyde for many thynges to yᵉ whole buyldinge: but he that paynteth it afterwarde, seketh but only what is comly, mete and conuenient to garnysh it withall. Euen so do we also in like maner. And why? He that begynneth to wryte a story for the first, must with his vnderstondinge gather the matter together, set his wordes in ordre, and diligently seke out euery parte: But he that afterwarde wyll shorten it, vseth few wordes, and toucheth not the matter at the largiest. Let this be sufficient for a prologe, now wyll we begynne to shewe the matter: for it is but a foolish thinge to make a longe prologe, and to be shorte in the story it self.

Notes to Chapter 2

⁽¹⁾ 2. Mac. 1.

⁽²⁾ Iere 29. b

⁽³⁾ Baruc. 6.

⁽⁴⁾ Deu. ⟨illegible⟩4.

⁽⁵⁾ Exo. 13. d

⁽⁶⁾ 3. Re. 8. b

⁽⁷⁾ Leui. 9. d

⁽⁸⁾ 2. Par. 7. a

⁽⁹⁾ Some reade: * Nehemias.

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eut. 30. a

⁽¹¹⁾ Mac. 6. a

Chapter 3

The III. Chapter.[A]

WHat tyme as the holy cite was inhabited in all peace and wealth, & when the lawes were yet very well kepte. (For so was it ordened by Onias the hye prest and other godly men, that were enemies to wickednesse:) It came therto, that euen the kynges and prynces thē selues dyd the place greate worshipe,⁽¹⁾ and garnyshed yᵉ temple with greate giftes: Inso moch that Seleucus kynge of Asia of his owne rentes bare all the costes belonginge to the seruyce of the offerynges.⁽²⁾ Then Symon of the trybe of Ben Iamin, a ruler of the temple, laboured to worke some myschefe in the cite: but the hye prest resisted him.

Neuerthelesse when he might not ouercome Onias,⁽³⁾ he gat him to Appolonius the sonne of Thersa (which thē was chefe lorde in Celosyria and Phenices) and tolde him, yᵗ the treasury in Ierusalem was full of innumerable money, and how that the comons goodes (which belonged not vnto the offeringes) were exceadinge greate also: yee and how it were possible, that all these might come vnder the kynges power.[B]

Now when Appollonius had shewed the kynge of the moneye, as it was tolde him: yᵉ kinge called for Heliodorus his stewarde, and sent him with a commaundement, to brynge him the sayde money. Immediatly Heliodorus toke his iourney, but vnder a coloure, as though he wolde go thorow Celosyria and Phenices to vyset the cities, but his purpose was to fulfill the kynges pleasure. So when he came to Ierusalem, and was louyngly receaued of the hye prest in to the cite: he tolde what was determed concernynge the moneye, and shewed the cause of his commynge: he axed also, yf it were so in dede. Then the hye prest tolde him, that there was soch money layed vp for the vpholdinge of weddowes and fatherlesse childrē, and how that a certayne of it belonged vnto Hyrcanus Tobias a noble man: and that of all the moneye (which that wicked Symon had bewrayed) there were iiij. hundreth talentes of syluer, and ij. hundreth of golde: yee & that it were vnpossible for those mens meaninge to be disceaued, that had layed vp their moneye in the place and temple (which is had in worshipe thorow the whole worlde) for the mayntenaunce and honoure of yᵉ same. Whervnto Heliodorus answered, yᵗ the kynge had commaunded him in eny wyse, to brynge him the moneye.

[C] So at the daye appoynted, Heliodorus entred into the temple to ordre this matter. But there was no small feare thorow out the whole cite. The prestes fell downe before the aulter in their vestimentes, and called vnto heauen vpon him, which had made a lawe concernynge stuffe geuen to kepe,⁽⁴⁾ that they shulde be safely preserued, for soch as cōmitte them vnto kepynge. Then who so had loked the hye prest in the face, it wolde haue greued his herte: For his countenaunce and the chaunginge of his coloure, declared the inwarde sorowe of his mynde. The mā was all in heuynesse, and his body in feare: wherby they that loked vpon him, might perceaue the grefe of his herte. The other people also came out of their houses by heapes vnto the comon prayer, because the place was like to come in to confucion. The women came together thorow the stretes, with hayrie clothes aboute their brestes.

[D] The virgins also that were kepte in, ranne to Onias, some to the walles, other some loked out at the wyndowes: yee they all helde vp their hondes towarde heauē, & prayed. A miserable thinge was it, to loke vpon the comon people, & the hye prest beynge in soch trouble. But they besought Almightie God, that the goodes which were committed vnto thē, might be kepte whole, for those that had deliuered them vnto their kepynge. Neuertheles the thinge that Heliodorus was determed to do, that perfourmed he in the same place, he him self personally beynge aboute the treasury with his men of warre. But the sprete of Allmightie God shewed him self openly, so that all they which presumed to obeye Heliodorus, fell thorow yᵉ power of God in to a greate fearfulnesse & drede. For there apeared vnto them an horse,⁽⁵⁾ with a terrible man syttinge vpon him, deckte in goodly araye, and the horse smote at Heliodorus with his fore fete. Now he that sat vpon yᵉ horse, had harnesse of golde vpon him.

Morouer there apeared ij. fayre and beutifull yonge men in goodly araye, which stode by him, scourged him of both the sydes, & gaue him many stripes without ceassinge. With that, fell Heliodorus sodenly vnto the grounde.⁽⁶⁾ So they toke him vp (beynge compased aboute with greate darcknesse) and bare him out vpō a beare. Thus he that came [E] with so many runners and men of warre in to yᵉ sayde treasury, was borne out, where as no man might helpe him: and so the power of God was manifest and knowne. He laye still domme also by the power of God, destitute of all hope and life. And they praysed the LORDE, that he had shewed his power vpon his place and temple, which a litle afore was full of feare & trouble: and that thorow the reuelacion of the Allmightie LORDE it was fylled with ioye and gladnesse.

Thē certaine of Heliodorus frēdes praied Onias, that in all haist he wolde call vpon God, to graunte him his life, which was geuynge vp the goost. So the hye prest considered the matter, and lest the kynge shulde suspecte that the Iewes had done Heliodorus some euell: he offred an health offerynge for him. Now whē yᵉ hye prest had opteyned his peticion, the same yonge mē in the same clothinge apeared, & stode besyde Heliodorus, sayenge: Thanke Onias yᵉ hye prest, for for his sake hath yᵉ LORDE graunted the yⁱ life: therfore seynge yᵗ God hath scourged yᵉ,⁽⁷⁾ [F] geue him prayse & thankes, and shewe euery man his might & power. And whē they had spoken these wordes, they apeared nomore.

So Heliodorus offred vnto God, made greate vowes vnto him which had graūted him his life, thāked Onias, toke his hoost, & wēte againe to yᵉ kinge. Thē testified he vnto euery mā, of yᵉ greate workes of God, yᵗ he had sene wᵗ his eyes. And whē the kynge axed Heliodorus who were mete to be sent yet once agayne to Ierusalem, he sayde: Yf thou hast eny enemy or aduersary vnto thy realme, sende him thither, & thou shalt haue him punished, yf he escape wᵗ his life: for in yᵗ place (no doute) there is a speciall power & workinge of God. For he yᵗ dwelleth in heauē, vysiteth & defendeth yᵗ place: & all yᵗ come to do it harme, he punysheth & plageth thē. This is now yᵉ matter cōcerninge Heliodorus, & yᵉ kepinge of yᵉ treasury at Ierusalē.

Notes to Chapter 3

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 22. b

⁽⁵⁾ 2 Ma. 10. ⟨illegible⟩ and 11. b

⁽⁶⁾ 2. Mac. 5.⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ Act. 27. c

Chapter 4

[A] THis Symon now (of whom we spake afore) beynge a bewrayer of the money and of his owne naturall countre,⁽¹⁾ reported the worst of Onias: as though he had moued Heliodorus vnto this, and as though he had bene a brynger vp of euell. Thus was he not ashamed to call him an enemie of yᵉ realme, that was so faithfull an ouerseer & defender of the cite & of his people: yee & so feruent in the lawe of God. But when the malice of Symon increased so farre, yᵗ thorow his frendes there were certayne manslaughters cōmitted: Onias considered the parell yᵗ might come thorow this strife, and how that Appollonius (namely the chefe lorde in Celosyria and Phenices) was all set vpon tyranny, and Symons malice increased the same: He gat him to the kynge, not as an accuser of the citesyns, but as one that by him self intended the comon wealth of the whole multitude. For he sawe it was not possible to lyue in peace, nether Symon to leaue of from his foolishnesse, excepte the kynge dyd loke therto.

[B] But after the death of Seleucus, when Antiochus (which is called the noble) toke yᵉ kyngdome: Iason the brother of Onias laboured to be hye prest: For he came vnto the kynge, and promised him thre hundreth & lx. talentes of syluer, & of the other rētes lxxx. talentes. Besydes this he promised him yet an C. & L, yf he might haue yᵉ scole of yᵉ children, and that he might call them of Ierusalem Antiochians. Which when the kynge had graunted, & he had gotten the superiorite: he begāne immediatly to drawe his kinsmen to the custome of the Heithen, put downe the thinges, that the Iewes had set vp of loue, by Ihon the father of Eupolemius (which was sent embassitoure vnto Rome, for to make the bonde of frendshipe and loue.) He put downe all the Iawes & Lyberties of the Iewes, and set vp wicked statutes. He durst make a fightinge scole vnder yᵉ castell, and set fayre yonge men to lerne the maners of whores and brodels.

[C] This was now the begynnynge of the Heithenish & straunge cōuersacion, brought in thorow the vngracious and vnherde wickednesse of Iason (which shulde not be called a prest, but an vngodly personne.) In so moch, that the prestes were now nomore occupide aboute the seruyce of the aulter, but despysed the temple, regarded not the offrynges: yee gaue their diligēce to lerne to fight, to wristle, to leape, to daunce, & to put at yᵉ stone: not settynge by yᵉ honoʳ of yᵉ fathers, but liked yᵉ glory of the Grekes best of all▪ for the which they strous perlously, and were gredy to folowe their statutes, yee their lust was in all thinges to be like thē, which afore were their enemies & destroyers. Howbeit to do wickedly agaynst yᵉ lawe of God, shal not escape vnpunyshed: but of this we shal speake here after.

What tyme as the ⁽²⁾ Olympiades sportes [D] were played at Tyrus (the kynge him selfe beinge presente) this vngracious Iason sent wicked men, bearinge from them of Ierusalem (which now were called Antiochians) iij.C. drachmas of syluer for an offerynge to Hercules. These had they that caried them, desyred vnder soch a fashiō, as though they shulde not haue bene offred, but bestowed to other vses. Neuertheles he that sent them, sent them to the intent that they shulde be offred vnto Hercules. But because of those that were present, they were geuen as to the makynge of shippes. And Appollonius the sonne of Nesteus was sent in to Egipte, because of the noble men of kynge Ptolomy Philometor. Now when Antiochus perceaued yᵗ he was put out from medlinge in the realme, he sought his owne profit, departed from thence, came to Ioppa, & then to Ierusalem: where he was honorably receaued of Iason & the cite, & was brought in wᵗ torche light and with greate prayse: and so he turned his hoost vnto Phenices.

After iij. yeare Iason sent Menelaus (the fore sayde Symons brother) to beare the money vnto yᵉ kynge,⁽³⁾ & to bringe him answere of other necessary matters. But he (when he was praysed of yᵉ kynge for magnifienge of his power) turned yᵉ hye presthode vnto him self, layenge vp iij.C. talētes of syluer for Iason. So whē he had gotten cōmaundemētes from yᵉ kynge, he came, hauinge nothinge yᵗ becōmeth a prest, but bearinge yᵉ stomack of a cruell tyraunte, & the wrath of a wylde brute beest.⁽⁴⁾ Then Iason (which had disceaued his owne brother) seynge yᵗ he him self was begyled also, was fayne to fle in to yᵉ lōde of yᵉ Ammonites, & Menelaus gat yᵉ dominiō. But as for yᵉ moneye yᵗ he had promised vnto the kynge, he dyd nothinge therin, when Sostratus the ruler of yᵉ castell requyred it of him. (For Sostratus was the man, yᵗ gathered yᵉ customes) wherfore they were both called before the kynge. Thus was Menelaus put out of yᵉ presthode, & Lysimachus his brother came in his steade. Sostratus also was made lorde of the Cyprians.

[F] It happened in yᵉ meane season, yᵗ yᵉ Tharsians & Mallocians made insurreciō, because they were geuen for a present vnto kynge Antiochus concubyne. Then came yᵉ kinge in all yᵉ haist, to still them agayne and to pacifie the matter, leauynge Andronicus there to be his debyte, as one mete therfore. Now Menelaus supposinge that he had gotten a right convenient tyme, stole certayne vessels of golde out of the temple, and gaue thē to Andronicus for a present: and some he solde at Tyrus and in the cities therby.

Which when Onias knewe of a suertye, he reproued him: but he kepte him in a santuary besyde Daphnis, that lyeth by Antioche. Wherfore Menelaus gat him to Andronicus, and prayed him that he wolde slaye Onias. So when he came to Onias, he counceled him craftely to come out of the santuary, geuynge him his honde with an ooth (how be it he suspecte him) and thē he slewe Onias, without eny regarde of rightuousnesse. For the which cause not only the Iewes, but other nacions also toke indignacion, and were displeased for the vnrightuous death of so godly a man.

[G] And when the kynge was come agayne from Cilicia, the Iewes and certaine of the Grekes wente vnto him, complayninge for the vnrightuous death of Onias. Yee Antiochus himself also was sory in his mynde for Onias, so yᵗ it pitied him, and he wepte, remembringe his sobernesse and manerly be hauoure. Wherfore he was so kyndled in his mynde, yᵗ he cōmaunded Andronicus to be striped out of his purple clothinge, & so to be led thorow out all the cite, yee and yᵉ vngracious man to be slayne in yᵉ same place, where he committed his wickednes vpon Onias Thus yᵉ LORDE rewarded him his punyshment, as he had deserued. Now when Lysimachus had done many wycked dedes in yᵉ temple thorow the councell of Menelaus, and the voyce came abrode: the multitude gathered thē together agaynst Lisimachus, for he had caried out now moch golde.

So when the people arose and were full of displeasure, Lisimachus armed iij.M. vnthriftes to defende him: a certayne tyraunte beynge their captayne, which was growen both in age & woodnesse. But when the people vnderstode the purpose of Lysimachus, some gat stones, some good stronge clubbes, & some cast aszshes vpon Lisimachus. Thus there were many of thē wounded, some beynge slayne, & all the other chaced awaye. But as for yᵗ wicked churchrobber himself, they kylled him besyde the treasury. Of these matters therfore there was kepte a courte agaynst Menelaus.

Now when yᵉ kinge came to Tyrus, they made a cōplaynte vnto him of Menelaus,[H] concerninge this busynesse, & yᵉ embassitours were thre. But Menelaus wente & promised Ptolomy to geue him moch money, yf he wolde persuade the kynge. So Ptolomy wēte to the kinge in to a courte (where as he was set to coole him) & brughte him out of yᵗ mynde In so moch yᵗ he discharged Menelaus frō yᵉ accusacions, yᵗ not withstondinge was cause of all myschefe: and those poore men (which yf they had tolde their cause, yee before the Scythians, they shulde haue be iudged innocēt) thē he cōdēned to death. Thus were they so one punyshed, which folowed vpō yᵉ matter for yᵉ cite, for yᵉ people, & for yᵉ holy vessell. Wherfore they of Tyrus toke indignacion, & buried thē honorably. And so thorow yᵉ covetousnesse of them that were in power, Menelaus remayned still in authorite, increasinge in malyce, to the hurte of the citesyns.

Notes to Chapter 4

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Ma. ⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible paragraph⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 5

AT yᵉ same tyme Antiochus made him [A] ready to go againe in to Egipte. Thē were there sene at Ierusalem (xl. dayes lōge) horsmē runninge to and fro in the ayre, which had rayment of golde, & speares. There were sene also whole hoostes of mē weapened, & horses runnynge in an ordre, how they came together, how they helde forth their shildes, how yᵉ harnessed men drew out their sweardes, & shot their dartes. The shyne of yᵉ goldē weapēs was sene, & of all maner of armure. Wherfore euerymā prayed, yᵗ those tokens might turne to good. Now whē there was gone forth a false rumo, as though Antiochus had bene deed: Iason toke a M. mē, & came sodēly vpō yᵉ cite. The citesyns rāne vnto yᵉ walles, at yᵉ last was yᵉ cite taken, and Menelaus fled in to the castell.

As for Iason, he spared not his owne citesyns [B] in the slaughter, nether considered he what greate euell it were, to destroye yᵉ prosperite of his owne kynsmen: but dyd as one that had gotten the victory of his enemies, and not of his frendes. For all this gatt he not the superiorite, but at the last receaued confucion for his malice, and fled agayne like a vagabunde in to the londe of the Ammonites.⁽¹⁾ Fynally (for a rewarde of his wickednesse) he was accused before Aretha the kynge of the Arabians: In so moch that he was fayne to fle from cite to cite, beynge despysed of euery man as a forsaker of the lawes, and an abhominable personne. And at yᵉ last (as an open enemy of his owne naturall countre and of the citesyns,) he was dryuen in to Egipte.

Thus he yᵗ afore put many out of their owne natyue londe, peryshed from home him self. He wente to Lacedemon, thinkinge there to haue gotten sucoure by reason of kynrede. And he that afore had casten many one out vnburied, was throwen out him self, no man mournynge for him, ner puttinge him in his graue: so that he nether enioyed yᵉ buriall of a straunger, nether was he partaker of his fathers sepulcre.

[woodcut]

[C] Now when this was done the kinge suspecte, yᵗ the Iewes wolde haue fallen from him: wherfore he came in a greate displeasure out of Egipte, & toke the cite by violence. He cōmaunded his men of warre also,⁽²⁾ that they shulde kyll & not spare, but slaye downe soch as wᵗ stode them, or clymmed vp vpō yᵉ houses. Thus was there a greate slaughter of yonge men, olde men, women, children and virgins. In iij. dayes were there slayne lxxx. M, fourty thousande put in preson, & no lesse solde. Yet was he not cōtent wᵗ this, but durst go in to the most holy temple (Menelaus that traytoure to yᵉ lawes & to his owne naturall countre, beynge his gyde) & with his wicked hondes toke yᵉ holy vessell, which other kynges & cities had geuen thither for yᵉ garnishinge & hono of yᵉ place: thē toke he in his hōdes vnworthely, & defyled them.

[D] So madd was Antiochus, that he considered not, how that God was a litle wroth for the synnes of them that dwelt in the cite, for the which soch confucion came vpon that place.⁽³⁾ And why? yf it had not happened them to haue bene lapped in many synnes, this Antiochus (as soone as he had come) had sodenly bene punished, and shot out for his presumpciō:⁽⁴⁾ like as Heliodorus was, whom Seleucus the kynge sente to robbe yᵉ treasury. Neuertheles God hath not chosen the people for the places sake, but the place for the peoples sake: and therfore is the place become partaker of the peoples trouble, but afterwarde shall it enioye the wealth of them. And like as it is now forsaken in the wrath of allmighty God, so when the greate God is reconcyled, it shal be set vp in hye worshipe agayne.

So when Antiochus had taken a M. and [E] viij. C. talentes out of the temple, he gat him to Antioche in all the haist, thinkinge in his pryde, that he might make mē sale vpon the drye londe, and to go vpon yᵉ see, soch an hye mynde had he. He lefte debites there to vexe the people: At Ierusalem left he Philippe a Phrigian, in maners more cruell thē himself yᵗ set him there: At Garisim he left Andronicus & Menelaus, which were more greuous to the citisyns then other. Now as he was thus set in malyce agaynst yᵉ Iewes, he sent Appollonius an hated prynce, wᵗ xxij.M. cōmaundinge him to slaye all those yᵗ were of perfecte age, and to sell the womē, maydes & children. When he came now to Ierusalem, he fained peace, & kepte him still vntill yᵉ Sabbath daye. And then he cōmaunded his men to take them to their weapens (for yᵉ Iewes kepte holy daye) and so he slewe all them yᵗ were gone forth to the open playe, runninge here and there thorow the cite with his men wapened, and murthured a greate nombre. But Iudas Machabeus which was the tenth, fled into the wyldernesse,⁽⁵⁾ led his life there with his company amonge the wylde beestes and vpon the mountaynes: dwellinge there and eatinge grasse, lest they shulde be partakers of the fylthynesse.

Notes to Chapter 5

⁽¹⁾ 2. Ma. 4.

⁽²⁾ Mac. 1. c

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩dit. 5. d

⁽⁴⁾ Ma. ⟨illegible⟩. d

⁽⁵⁾ 1. Mac. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 6

NOt longe after this, sent the kynge a [A] messaunger of Antioche,⁽¹⁾ for to compell yᵉ Iewes to altre yᵉ ordinaunces of yᵉ fathers & the lawe of God, to defyle the temple yᵗ was at Ierusalem, & to call it the tēple of Iupiter Olimpius: & yᵗ they shulde be in Gazarim, as those which dwell at yᵉ place of Iupiter the harberous. This wicked sediciō of yᵉ vngodly was heuy vpon all yᵉ people: For yᵉ temple was full of voluptuousnes bebbinge & bollinge of yᵉ Heithē, of ribaudes & harlottes together. The womē wente in to yᵉ holy place, & bare in that was not laufull. The aulter also was full of vnlaufull thinges, which yᵉ lawe forbyddeth to laye vpō it. The Sabbathes were not kepte, the other solempne feastes of yᵉ londe were not regarded To be plaine, there durst no mā be a knowne that he was a Iewe.

In the daye of the kynges byeth they were compelled perforce to offre: & when yᵉ feast of Bachus was kepte, they were cōstrayned to weere garlandes of yven, and so to go aboute for the honoure of Bachus.

[B] Morouer thorow the councell of Ptolomy, there wente out a commaundement in yᵉ nexte cities of the Heithen, yᵗ they shulde intreate the Iewes in like maner: namely, to cōpell thē for to do sacrifice after yᵉ lawes of yᵉ Gentiles: and who so wolde not, to put them to death. A piteous thinge was it to se. There were ij. women accused to haue circumcided their sonnes,⁽²⁾ whom when they had led rounde aboute the cite (the babes hanginge at their brestes) they cast them downe headlinges ouer the walles. Some yᵗ were crepte in to dennes and had kepte the Sabbath, were accused vnto Philippe, and brent in the fyre: because that for the feare of God they kepte the commaūdement so stiffly, and wolde not defende them selues.

Now I beseke all those which reade this boke, that they refuse it not for these falles of aduersite: & iudge the thinges (yᵗ are happened) for no destruccion, but for a chastenynge of o people. And why? Whē God suffreth not synners longe to folowe their owne mynde,⁽³⁾ but shortly punysheth them, it is a tokē [C] of his greate louynge kyndnes. For this grace haue we of God more then other people, yᵗ he suffreth not vs longe to synne vnpunyshed like other nacions, that when the daye of iudgment commeth, he maye punysh thē in the fulnes of their synnes. Yf we synne, he correcketh vs, but he neuer withdraweth his mercy frō vs: & though he punysh wᵗ aduersite, yeth doth he neuer forsake his people. But let this that we haue spokē now wᵗ few wordes, be for a warninge & exortaciō of yᵉ Heithē. Now wil we come to the declaringe of the matter. Eleazar one of yᵉ principall scribes, an aged mā & of a welfauored coūtenaūce, was cōstrained to gape wᵗ opē mouth & to eate swynes flesh.⁽⁴⁾ But he desyringe rather to dye gloriously thē to liue wᵗ shame, offred himself willīgly to yᵉ martirdome. Now whē he sawe yᵗ he must nedes go to it; he toke it paciētly: for he was at a poynte wᵗ himself, yᵗ he wolde consente to no vnlaufull thynge for eny pleasure of life. They yᵗ stode by beynge moued wᵗ pyte (but not a right) for yᵉ olde [D] frendshipe of the man, toke him asyde priuely, and prayed him yᵗ he wolde let soch flesh be brought him as were laufull to eate, & thē to make a coūtenaūce as though he had eaten of yᵉ flesh of yᵉ sacrifice like as the kynge commaunded, for so he might be delyuered from death: & so for the olde frendshipe of yᵉ man, they shewed him this kindnes. But he beganne to considre his discrete and honorable age, his noble and worshipfull stocke, and how yᵗ frō his youth vp he had bene of an honest and good conuersacion, yee & how constantly he had kepte yᵉ ordinaunces and lawes commaūded by God, wherfore he gaue them this answere, and sayde:

Yet had I rather first be layed in my graue.⁽⁵⁾ For it becommeth not myne age (sayde he) in eny wyse to dyssemble, wherby many yonge personnes might thinke, that Eleazar beinge lxxx. yeare olde and ten, were now gone to a straunge life: and so thorow myne ypocrisy (for a litle tyme of a transitory life) they might be disceaued: by this meanes also shulde I defyle myne age, & make it abhominable. For though I were now delyuered from the tormentes of men, yet shulde I not escape the honde of allmightie God,⁽⁶⁾ nether alyue ner deed. Wherfore I will dye manfully,[E] & do as it becommeth myne age: Wherby I maie peraduenture leaue an exāple of stedfastnesse for soch as be yonge, yf I wᵗ a ready mynde & manfully dye an honest death, for the most worthy and holy lawes.

When he had sayde these wordes, immediatly he was drawen to the tormēte. Now they that led him and were mylde a litle afore, beganne to take displeasure, because of the wordes yᵗ he sayde: for they thought he had spokē them of an hye mynde. But whē he was in his martirdome, he mourned and sayde: Thou (O LORDE) which hast the holy knowlege, knowest openly: that where as I might be delyuered frō death, I suffre these sore paynes of my body: but in my mynde I am wel contente to suffre them, because I feare the. Thus this man dyed, leauynge yᵉ memoriall of his death for an example, not only vnto yonge men, but vnto all yᵉ people, to be stedfast and manly.

Notes to Chapter 6

⁽¹⁾ 1. Mac. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Mac. 1. f

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 3. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ 1. Tess. 5. c

⁽⁶⁾ Amos. 1. a

Chapter 7

IT happened also that there were vij [A] brethren (with their mother) taken,⁽¹⁾ & compelled by the kynge agaynst the lawe, to eate swynes flesh: namely wᵗ scourges and lethren whippes. And one of them which was yᵉ chefe, sayde: What sekest thou, and what requyrest thou of vs? As for vs, we are ready rather to suffre death, then to offende the lawes of God and the fathers. Then was the kynge angrie, and bad heare cauldrons and brasen pottes. Which when they were made hote, immediatly he commaunded yᵉ tonge of him that spake first, to be cut out, to pull the skynne ouer his heade, to payre of the edges of his handes and fete: yee and that in the sight of his mother and the other of his brethren. Now when he was cleane marred, he commaunded a fyre to be made, & so (whyle there was eny breath in him) to be fryed in the caudron, In the which when he had bene longe payned, the other brethren with their mother exorted him to dye manfully, sayēge: The LORDE God shal regarde the treuth, and comforte vs, like as Moses testifieth and declareth in his songe,⁽²⁾ sayenge: and he wyl haue compassion on his seruauntes.

[B] So whē the first was deed after this maner, they brought the seconde to haue him in derision, pulled the skynne with the hayre ouer his heade, and axed him, yf he wolde eate swynes flesh, or he were payned in yᵉ other membres also thorow out his body. But he answered boldly, and sayde: I will not do it. And so was he tormented like as yᵉ first. And whē he was euē at yᵉ geuinge vp of yᵉ goost, he sayde: Thou most vngracious personne puttest vs now to death, but the kynge of yᵉ worlde shall rayse vs vp (which dye for his lawes) in yᵉ resurreccion of euerlastinge life.

After him, was the thirde had in derision: and when he was requyred, he putt out his tonge, and that right soone, holdinge forth his hondes manfully, and spake with a stedfast faith: These haue I of heauē, but now for the lawe of God I despyse them: for my trust is, that I shall receaue them of him agayne. In so moch that the kynge and they which were with him, marueled at the yonge mans boldnesse, that he nothinge regarded the paynes.

[C] Now when he was deed also, they vexed the fourth with tormentes in like maner. So when he was now at his death, he sayde: It is better that we beynge put to death of mē, haue oure hope and trust in God, for he shal rayse vs vp agayne.⁽³⁾ As for the, thou shalt haue no resurreccion to life.

And when they had spoken to the fifth, they tormēted him. Then loked he vnto yᵉ kinge, & sayde: Thou hast power amōge mē (for thou art a mortall man also yⁱ self) to do what thou wilt, but thinke not, yᵗ God hath forsaken oʳ generacion. Abyde the, tary styll a whyle, & thou shalt se the greate power of God, how he wil punysh the & thy sede.

After him they brought the sixte, which beynge at the poynte of death, sayde: Be not disceaued (o kynge) for this we suffre for oure owne sakes, because we haue offended oure God, & therfore marvelous thinges are shewed vpon vs. But thinke not thou (which takest in honde to stryue agaynst God) that thou shalt escape vnpunyshed.

This excellent mother (worthy to be well [D] reported of, and had in remembraunce) sawe hir seuen sonnes dye in one daye, and suffred it paciētly, because of the hope that she had in God: Yee she exorted euery one of them in especiall, and that boldly and stedfastly, wᵗ parfite wyszdome, wakynge vp hir wyuysh thought with a manly stomacke, and sayde vnto them: I can not tell how ye came in my wombe, for I nether gaue you breth ner soule, no ner life. It is not I yᵗ ioyned yᵗ mēbres of yo bodies together, but yᵉ maker of yᵉ worlde, which fashioned yᵉ byrth of mā, & begāne all thinges. Euen he also of his owne mercy shall geue you breath and life agayne, like as ye now regarde not youre owne selues for his lawes sake.

Now thought Antiochus that she had despysed him, therfore he let her go with hir reproues, and beganne to exorte the yongest sonne (which yet was left) not only wᵗ wordes but swore vnto him wᵗ an ooth, yᵗ he shulde make him a rich & welthy man (yf he wolde forsake yᵉ lawes of his fathers) yee and yᵗ he shulde geue him, what so euer were necessary for him. But whē the yonge man wolde not [E] be moued, for all these thinges, he called his mother, & counceled her to saue hir sonnes life. And when he had exorted her with many wordes, she promised him, that she shulde speake vnto hir sonne. So she turned her vnto him (laughinge yᵉ cruell tyraunte to scorne) & spake wᵗ a boylde voyce: O my sonne, haue pite vpon me, yᵗ bare yᵉ ix. monethes in my wombe, that gaue the sucke, norished the and brought the vp vnto this age. I beseke the (my sonne) loke vpon heauen and earth and all that is therin, and considre, that God made them and mans generacion of naught: so shalt thou not feare this hangman, but suffre death stedfastly, like as thy brethren haue done: that I maye receaue the agayne in the same mercy with thy brethren.

Whyle she was yet speakynge these wordes, the yonge man sayde: Whom loke ye for▪ Wherfore do ye tary? I wil not obeye the kynges commaundement, but the lawe that God gaue vs by Moses.⁽⁴⁾ As for the that ymaginest all myschefe agaynst the Iewes, thou shalt not escape the honde of God: for we suffre these thinges, because of oure synnes.

[F] And though God be angrie with vs a litle whyle (for oʳ chasteninge & reformacion,) yet shal he be at one agayne wᵗ his seruauntes. But thou. (O shamefull & most abhominable personne.) Pryde not thy self thorow vayne hope, in beynge so malicious vpon yᵉ seruauntes of God: for thou hast not yet escaped the iudgmēt of the God, which is all mighty, & seyth all thinges. My brethren yᵗ haue suffred a litle payne, are now vnder the couenaunt of euerlastinge life: but thorow the iudgment of God, thou shalt be punyshed righteously for thy pryde.

As for me (like as my brethrē haue done) I offre my soule & my body for yᵉ lawes of o fathers, callinge vpon God, yᵗ he will soone be mercifull vnto o people: yee & wᵗ payne & punyshment to make the graunte,⁽⁵⁾ yᵗ he only is God. In me now & in my brethrē yᵉ wrath of allmighty God is at an ende, which righteously is fallē vpon all o people. Then yᵉ kynge beynge kyndled in anger, was more cruell vpon him then vpon all yᵉ other, & toke indignaciō, yᵗ he was so lighty regarded. So this yonge mā dyed vndefiled, & put his trust stil in yᵉ LORDE. Last of all after yᵉ sonnes, was yᵉ mother put to death also. Let this now be ynough spoken, concernynge yᵉ offringes, & extreme cruelnesse.

Notes to Chapter 7

⁽¹⁾ Leuit. 11. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Deut. 18. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Ioh. 5. c

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 8

[A] THen Iudas Machabeus and they yᵗ were wᵗ him, wēte pryuely in to yᵉ townes, called their kinsfolkes & frendes together, toke vnto them all soch as contynued yet in the faith & lawe of yᵉ Iewes, and brought forth vj.M. men. So they called vpon the LORDE, yᵗ he wolde haue an eye vnto his people, which was troddē downe of euery mā: to be gracious vnto yᵉ tēple, yᵗ was defyled of the vngodly: to haue cōpassion vpon yᵉ destruccion of the cite, (which was shortly like to be laied waist) to heare yᵉ voyce of yᵉ bloude yᵗ cried vnto him: to remēbre yᵉ most vnrighteous deathes of yonge innocent children, the blasphemies also done vnto his name, & to punysh thē. Now whē Machabeus had gathered this multitude together,⁽¹⁾ he was to mightie for the Heithen (for yᵉ wrath of yᵉ LORDE was turned in to mercy) he fell vpon the townes & cities vnawarres, brent them, toke the most cōmodious places, & slewe many of the enemies. But specially he made soch chases by night, in so moch that his manlynesse was spoken of euery were.

[B] So when Philippe sawe that the man increased by litle and litle, and that the matter prospered with him for the most parte: he wrote vnto Ptolomy (which was a captayne in Celosiria & Phenices) helpe him in yᵉ kinges busynes. Thē sent he Nicanor Patrocli (a speciall frende of his) in all yᵉ haist,⁽²⁾ & gaue him of yᵉ comon sorte of the Heithen no lesse then xx. M. harnessed men, to rote out yᵉ whole generacion of the Iewes, hauinge to helpe him one Gorgias a man of warre, which in matters concernynge battayls had greate experience. Nicanor ordened also the tribute (which the Romaynes shulde haue had) to be geuen vnto the kynge, out of the captiuyte of the Iewes, namely ij.M. talentes. And immediatly he sent to yᵉ cities of yᵉ see coost, requyringe thē for to bye Iewes to be their seruauntes & bonde men, promisynge to sell them lxxx. and ten for one talente: but he considered not the wrath of allmighty God, yᵗ was to come vpon him.

When Iudas knewe of this, he tolde the [C] Iewes yᵗ were wᵗ him, of Nicanors cōmynge. Now were there some of them fearfull, not trustinge vnto the rightuousnes of God and fled their waye. But the other yᵗ remayned, came together & besought the LORDE, to delyuer thē frō yᵗ wicked Nicanor, which had solde thē or euer he came nye them: and though he wolde not do it for their sakes, yet for the couenaunt that he made wᵗ their fathers, & because they called vpon his holy & glorious name.⁽³⁾ And so Machabeus called his men together, namely aboute vi.M. exortinge them not to agree vnto their enemies, nether to be afrayed for yᵉ multitude of their aduersaries cōmynge agaynst them vnrighteously: but to fight manly,⁽⁴⁾ consideringe yᵉ reprofe that they had done to the holy place without cause, how they had despysed and oppressed the cite, yee and destroyed yᵉ lawes of the fathers. For they (sayde he) trust in their weapens and boldnesse,⁽⁵⁾ but oure confidence is in the allmighty LORDE, which in the twincklinge of an eye maye both destroye them that come agaynst vs, and all the worlde.

He exorted them also to call to remēbraūce [D] the helpe, that God shewed vnto their fathers:⁽⁶⁾ as whē there perished an C. & lxxxvM of Sennacheribs people: And of yᵉ battaill yᵗ they had in Babilō agaynst yᵉ Galacians: how yᵗ all the Macedoniās yᵗ came to helpe thē, stode in feare: & how they beynge but only vj.M. slewe an C. & xx.M. thorow yᵉ helpe yᵗ was geuen them from heauen, wherby they also had receaued many benefites.

Thorow these wordes yᵉ mē toke good hertes vnto thē, ready to dye for the lawe & the coūtre. So he set vpon euery cōpany a captayne, one of his owne brethren: Simon, Ioseph and Ionathas: geuynge ech one xv.C. men. He caused Eszdras also to reade the holy boke vnto them, and to geue them a token of the helpe of God.

[woodcut]

Then he himself beinge captaine in yᵉ fore front of the battayll,⁽⁷⁾ buckled with Nicanor And God was there helpe, in so moch that they slewe aboue ix.M. mē & compelled yᵉ more parte of Nicanors hoost to fle, they were [E] so wounded and feable. Thus they toke the money from those that came to bye thē, and folowed vpon them on euery syde. But whē the tyme came vpon them, they returned, for it was the Sabbath, and therfore they folowed nomore vpon them. So they toke their weapens and spoyles & kepte the Sabbath, geuynge thankes vnto the LORDE, which had delyuered them that daye, and shewed them his mercy. After the Sabbath they distributed the spoyles to the sicke, to yᵉ fatherlesse,⁽⁸⁾ and to wyddowes, and the residue had they them selues with theirs. Whē this was done, and they all had made a generall prayer: they besought the mercifull LORDE to be at one with his seruauntes.

Of those also that were with Timotheus and Bachides, which fought agaynst them, they slewe xx.M. wanne hye and stronge holdes, and deuided moo spoyles: euer geuynge an equall porcion vnto yᵉ sicke, to yᵉ fatherles to wyddowes & to aged persons. And when [F] they had diligently gathered their weapēs together, they layed them all in convenient places, & the remnaunt of yᵉ spoyles brought they to Ierusalem. They slewe Philarches that wicked personne, which was with Timotheus, and had vexed many Iewes. And when they helde the thankesgeuyng▪ at Ierusalem for the victory, they brent those that had set fyre on the portes of the temple: namely Calisthenes, which was fled in to an house: and so they gat a worthy rewarde for their wickednesse. As for that most vngracious Nicanor, which had brought a thousande marchaūtes, to bye the Iewes, he was thorow yᵉ helpe of the LORDE brought downe, euen of them whom he regarded not: in so moch that he put of his glorious raymēt, fled by see, and came alone to Antioche wᵗ greate shame & dishonoʳ, which he gat thorow the destruccion of his hoost. Thus he yᵗ promysed the Romaynes to paye thē their tribute, when he toke Ierusalem: beganne now to saye planely, that God was yᵉ defender of the Iewes, & therfore not possible to wounde them, because they folowed yᵉ lawes which God had made.

Notes to Chapter 8

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ 1. Mac. 3.⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ 1. Mac. 5. b

⁽⁴⁾ Deut. ⟨illegible⟩0. ⟨illegible⟩ 2. Pa. ⟨illegible⟩0. c

⁽⁵⁾ Iere. 17. b Psal. 19. b

⁽⁶⁾ 4. Re. 19 g Esa. 37. f 1. Mac. 7. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ 1. Ma. 4. b

⁽⁸⁾ Num. 31. d 1. Re. 30. e Deu. 20. b

Chapter 9

AT the same tyme came Antiochus agayne [A] with dishonoure out of Persis.⁽¹⁾ For when he came to Persepolis, and vndertoke to robbe the temple and to subdue the cite, the people ranne together and defended them selues, in so moch yᵗ he and his were fayne to fle with shame. And so after that flight, it happened, that Antiochus came agayne with dishonoure. But when he came to Egbathana, he gat knowlege what was happened vnto Nicanor & Timotheus. Now as he was auauncinge himself in his wrath, he thought he was able to avenge the iniury that was done to them, vpon the Iewes: and therfore commaunded to make ready his charet, haistinge on his iourney without ceassinge: the iudgmēt of God prouokynge him, because he had spokē so proudly, that he wolde come to Ierusalem, and make it a graue of the Iewes. But the LORDE God of Israel, that seith all thinges,⁽²⁾ smote him with an invisible plage, which no man coude heale.

For as soone as he had spoken these wordes,[B] there came vpon him an horrible payne of his bowels, & a sore grefe of the tharmes. And yᵗ was but right: for he had martired other mens bowels with dyuerse and straūge tormentes, how be it he wolde in no wyse ceasse from his malice. Yee he was yet the prouder, and more malicious agaynst the Iewes: But whyle he was commaundinge to make haist in the matter, it happened yᵗ he fell downe violently from the charet, so yᵗ it brussed his body, & dyd him greate payne.

And so he that thought he might commaunde yᵉ floudes of the see (so proude was he beyonde the condiciō of man) and to weye the hye mountaynes in a payre of scoales, was now brought downe to the grounde, & caried vpon an horszlytter, knowlegynge yᵉ manyfest power of God vpon him: so that yᵗ wicked body of his was full of wormes,⁽³⁾ which in his payne fell quyck out of his flesh: In so moch yᵗ his hoost was greued with the smell and styncke of him. Thus he that a litle afore thought he might reach to the starres of heauen, him might no man now abyde ner beare, for the vehemence of styncke.

[C] Therfore he beynge brought from his greate pryde, begāne for to come to yᵉ knowlege of him self: for the punyshment of God warned him, & his payne increased euer more & more. And when he him self might not abyde his owne styncke, he sayde these wordes: It is reason to be obedient vnto God, & that a man desyre not to be like vnto him. This wicked personne prayed also vnto the LORDE, of whom he shulde haue optained no mercy. And as for the cite that he came vnto so haistely, to brynge it downe to the grounde, & to make it a graue for deed men: now he desyreth to delyuer it fre. And as touchinge yᵉ Iewes, whom he had iudged not worthy to be buried, but wolde haue cast thē out for to be deuoured of the foules and wylde beastes, sayenge, that he wolde haue destroyed both olde and yonge: Now he promiseth, to make thē like yᵉ citesyns of Athens. And where as he had spoyled the holy temple afore, now he maketh promyse to garnish it with greate giftes, to increase the holy ornamētes, and of his owne rentes to beare the costes and charges belonginge to the offerynges: yee and that he wolde also become a Iewe him self, to go thorow euery place of the worlde, and to preach the power of God.

[D] But when his paynes wolde not ceasse, (for the righteous iudgmet of God was come vpon him) out of a very despayre he wrote vnto the Iewes a lettre of intercession, cōteyninge these wordes: The kynge and prynce Antiochus wysheth vnto the vertuous citesyns of the Iewes, moch health and good prosperite.

Yf ye and youre children fare well, and yf all thinges go after youre mynde: we geue greate thankes. In my sicknesse also do I remembre you louyngly: for as I came out of Persia, and was taken with sore disease: I thought it necessary to care for the comon wealth. Nether despare I in my self, but haue a good hope to escape this sicknes.

But considerynge that my father led an hoost some tyme in yᵉ hyer places, & shewed who shulde raigne after him, that (yf there happened eny cōtrouersy, or eny harde thinge were declared,) they in the londe might knowe their chefe lorde, yᵗ there shulde be no insurreccion: Agayne, when I pondre by my [E] self, how that all yᵉ mightie men and neghbours rounde aboute, are layēge waite, and loke but for oportunyte to do harme: I haue ordened that my sonne Antiochus shall raigne after me, whom I oft commended to many of you, when I was in the hyer kyngdomes, and haue wrytten vnto him as it foloweth herafter. Therfore I praye you and requyre you, to remembre the benefites that I haue done vnto you generally and in especiall. For I hope that he shall be of sober & louynge behauoure, and yf he folowe my deuyce, he shal be indifferent vnto you.

Thus that murthurer and blasphemer of God was sore smyttē:⁽⁴⁾ and like as he had intreated other men, so he dyed a myserable death in a straunge countre vpon a mountayne. And his body dyd Philippe (that wēte with him) cary awaye: which fearynge the sonne of Antiochus, wente in to Egipte to Ptolomy Philometor.

Notes to Chapter 9

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 10

MAchabeus now & his company (thorow [A] the helpe of the LORDE) wanne the temple and the cite agayne,⁽¹⁾ destroyed the aulters and chapels that the Heithē had buylded thorow the stretes:⁽²⁾ clensed the temple, made another aulter of bricke stone, and after ij. yeares they offered sacrifices, set forth the incense, the lightes and shewe bred. When that was done, they fell downe flat vpon the grounde, and besought the LORDE, that they might come nomore in to soch trouble: but yf they synned eny more agaynst him, he him self to chasten them with mercy, and not to come in the hondes of those aleauntes and blasphemous men.

Now vpon the same daye that yᵉ straungers poluted the temple, it happened that on the very same daye it was clensed agayne namely,⁽³⁾ the xxij. daye of the moneth called Casleu. They kepte viij. dayes in gladnesse,[B] like as in the feast of the tabernacles: remembrynge that not longe afore, they helde the feast of yᵉ tabernacles vpon the mountaynes and in dennes like beastes. And to yᵉ same token they bare grene bowes, braunches and palmes before him that had geuen them good fortune to clense his place. They agreed also together, and made a statute, yᵗ euery yeare those dayes shulde be solemply kepte of all the people of the Iewes.

How Antiochus then (that was called the noble) dyed, it is sufficiently tolde. Now wil we speake of Nicanor the sonne of that wicked Antiochus, how it happened with him: and so with few wordes to comprehende the aduersite that chaunsed in yᵉ warres. When he had taken in the kyngdome, he made one Lysias (which had bene captayne of the hoost in Phenices and Syria) ruler ouer the matters of the realme. For Ptolomy that was called Macron, beynge a ruler for the Iewes (and specially, to syt in iudgment for soch wronge as was done vnto them) vndertoke to deale peaceably with them. For the which cause he was accused [C] of the frendes before Eupator: and when he was suspecte to be a traytoure (because he had left Cypers, that Philometor had committed vnto him: and because he departed from noble Antiochus, that he was come vnto) he poysoned himself, and dyed.

[woodcut]

Now when Gorgias was gouernoure of the same places, he toke straungers and vndertoke oft tymes to warre with yᵉ Iewes. Morouer the Idumeans that helde the strōge holdes, receaued those that were dryuen from Ierusalem, and toke in honde to warre also. But they that were with Machabeus, besought and prayed vnto the LORDE, ⁽⁴⁾ that he wolde be their helper: and so they fell in to the stronge holdes of the Idumeans, & wanne many places by strength: Soch as came agaynst them they slew, and kylled no lesse (of all together) then twentye thousande. Neuerthelesse some (no lesse then nyn⟨illegible⟩ thousande) were fled in to two stronge towres, hauynge all maner of ordinaunce to withstonde them.

[D] Then Machabeus leauynge Symon, Iosephus, Zachaus and those that were with them, (which were very many) wente to besege thē, and to fight where most nede was, Now they that were with Symon beynge led with couetousnesse, were intreated for money, thorow certayne of those that [woodcut] laye in the towers: toke lxx.M. drachmas, & let some of them escape. But when it was tolde Machabeus what had happened, he called yᵉ captaynes of the people together, accusynge those personnes, that they had solde the brethren for money, and let their enemies go. So he slewe those traytours, & immediatly wente in honde with the ij. towers. And when they had ordred them selues manly with their weapens & hondes, they slewe in yᵉ two castels moo thē twētie thousande.

Now Timotheus whom the Iewes had ouercome afore,⁽⁵⁾ gathered a multitude of straunge people, brought an hoost also of horsmen of the Asians, to wynne Iewry by strength. But when he drewe nye, Machabeus [E] and they that were wᵗ him fell to their prayer, sprencled aszshes vpon their heades,⁽⁶⁾ beynge gyrded wᵗ hayrie cloth aboute their loines, fel downe before yᵉ aulter, & besought the LORDE that he wolde be mercifull to them, but an enemie vnto their enemies, and to take parte agaynst their aduersaries, acordinge as it is promised in the lawe. So after the prayer,⁽⁷⁾ they wente on further from the cite: and when they came nye the enemies, they prepared them selues agaynst them.

[woodcut]

And by tymes in the mornynge at yᵉ breake of the daye, both the hoostes buckled together. The one parte had the LORDE for their refuge,⁽⁸⁾ which is the geuer of prosperite, strēgth and victory. The other had a māly stomack, which is a captayne of warre.

The battayll now beynge greate, there apeared vnto the enemies from heauen v. men,⁽⁹⁾ vpon horszback with brydels of golde, ledinge the Iewes, and two of them hauynge Machabeus betwixte them, yᵗ kepte him safe on euery syde wᵗ their weapēs, but shot dartes and lighteninges vpon the enemies. where thorow they were confounded with blyndnesse and so sore afrayed, that they fell downe. There were slayne of fote men twenty thousande and fyue hundreth, and sixe hūdreth [F] horsmen. As for Timotheus him self, he fled vnto Gazar a very strōge holde, wherin Cereas was captayne. But Machabeus and his company layed sege to it cherfully iiij. dayes. Now they that were within, trustinge to the strength of the place, cursed & banned exceadingly, and made greate crakynge with wicked wordes. Neuerthelesse vpon the fifth daye in the mornynge, xx. yongemen of Machabeus cōpany, beynge set on fyre in their myndes because of the blasphemy: came manfully vnto the wall, and with bolde stomackes they and their other companyons clymmed vp vpon the towres, vndertakynge to set fyre vpon the portes, & to burne those blasphemous personnes quycke. Two dayes were they destroyenge the castell, which when they founde Timotheus (that was crepte in to a corner) they kylled him, and slewe Cereas his brother in like maner with Appollophanes. When this was done, they sunge Psalmes, with prayses and thankesgeuynges vnto the LORDE, which had done so greate thinges for Israel, & geuen them the victory.

Notes to Chapter 10

⁽¹⁾ 1. Mac. 4.

⁽²⁾ Exo. 20.

⁽³⁾ 1. Mac. 4. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ Mac. 5. a

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eg. 6 ⟨illegible⟩ 3. d ⟨illegible⟩ 1⟨illegible⟩. b

Chapter 11

[A] NOt longe after this, Lysias the kynges stewarde and a kynsman of his, (which had the gouernaunce of his matters,) toke sore displeasure for the thinges that had happened: and when he had gathered lxxx.M. men of fote with all the hoost of the horsmen, he came agaynst the Iewes, thinkynge to wynne the cite, to make it an habitacion for the Heithen, and the temple wolde he haue to be an house of lucre,⁽¹⁾ like as the other goddes houses of the Heithē are, & to sell yᵉ prestes office euery yeare: Not consideringe the power of God, but was wylde in his mynde, trustinge in yᵉ multitude of fote mē,⁽²⁾ in thousandes of horsmē, and in his lxxx. Elephantes.

[B] So he came in to Iewry & then to Bethsura (a castell of defence lyenge in a narow place, v. furlonges from Ierusalē) and wanne it. Now when Machabeus and his company knew that the stronge holdes were taken,⁽³⁾ they fell to their prayers with wepynge and teares before the LORDE: and all the people in like maner besought him, that he wolde sende a good angell to delyuer Israel. Machabeus him self was the first that made him ready to the battayll, exortynge the other that were with him, to ioperde them selues and to helpe their brethrē. And when they were goyenge forth of Ierusalem together with a ready and wyllynge mynde,⁽⁴⁾ there apeared before thē vpon horszbacke a mā in whyte clothinge with harnesse of golde, shakinge his speare. Then they praysed yᵉ LORDE all together, which had shewed them mercy, and were conforted in their myndes: in so moch that they were ready, not only to fight with men, but with yᵉ most cruell beestes, yee and to runne thorow walles of yron.

[woodcut]

Thus they wente on wyllingly hauynge [C] an helper from heauē, and the LORDE mercifull vnto them. They fell mightely vpon their enemies like lyons, brought downe xj.M. fote men, xvj.C. horsmen, put all yᵉ other to flight, many of them beynge wounded, and some gat awaye naked. Yee Lysias him self was fayne to fle shamefully, and so to escape. Neuerthelesse the man was not with out vnderstondinge, but considered by him self that his power was mynished, and pondred how yᵉ Iewes beynge defended by the helpe of Allmighty God, were not able to be ouercome: wherfore he sent them worde, and promised, that he wolde consente to all thinges which were reasonable, and to make the kynge their frēde. To the which prayer of Lysias Machabeus agreed, sekynge in all thinges the comon wealth: and what so euer Machabeus wrote vnto Lysias cōcernynge the Iewes, the kynge graunted it. For there were lettres writtē vnto yᵉ Iewes from Lysias conteynynge these wordes:

[D] Lysias sendeth gretinge to the people of the Iewes. Ihon and Absalon which were sent from you, delyuered me wrytinges, and requyred me to fulfill the thinges concernynge their earande. Therfore loke what might be graunted, I certified yᵉ kynge therof: and what so euer was conuenient, I agreed therto. Yf ye now wyll be faithfull in the matters, I shal endeuer my self herafter also to do you good. As concernynge other thinges by euery article therof: I haue committed them to youre messaungers, and to those whom I sent vnto you, to comon with you of the same, fare ye well, In the hūdreth and xlviij. yeare, the xxiiij. daye of the moneth Dioscorinthius.

Now the kynges lettre conteyned these wordes: Kynge Antiochus sendeth gretinge vnto his brother Lysias.⁽⁵⁾ For so moch as oure father is now deed, oure wyll is, that they which are in oure realme, lyue without eny insurreccion, and euery man to be diligent in his owne matters. We vnderstonde also, that the Iewes wolde not consent to oure father, for to be brought vnto the custome of the Gentiles, but stiffly to kepe their owne statutes: for the which cause they requyre of vs also, to let them remayne still by their owne lawes.

[E] Wherfore oure minde is, that this people shalbe in rest: we haue concluded and determed also, to restore them their temple agayne: that they maye lyue acordinge to the vse & custome of their forefathers. Thou shalt do vs a pleasure therfore, yf thou sende vnto them & agre with them: that when they are certified of oure mynde, they maye be of good chere, and loke to their owne wealth.

And this was the lettre, that the kynge wrote vnto the Iewes: Kynge Antiochus sendeth gretinge vnto the councell and the other people of the Iewes. Yf ye fare well, we haue oure desyre: as for vs, we are in good health. Menelaus came and tolde vs, how yᵗ youre desyre was to come downe to youre people, which are with vs.

Wherfore those that wyll come, we geue them fre lyberte, vnto the xxx. daye of the [F] moneth of Aprill, that they maye vse yᵉ meates of the Iewes and their owne lawes, like as afore: and none of them by eny maner of wayes to haue harme, for thinges done in ignoraunce. Menelaus whom we haue sent vnto you, shal comon with you at large, fare ye well. In the Cxlviij. yeare, the xv. daye of the moneth of Aprill.

The Romaynes also sent a lettre, conteynynge these wordes: Quintus Mennius & Titus Mamlius embassatours of the Romaynes, sende gretinge vnto the people of the Iewes. Loke what Lysias the kynges kynsman hath graunted you, we graunte you the same also. But as concernynge the thinges which he referred vnto the kynge, sende hither some with spede: and pōdre the matter diligētly amonge youre selues, that we maye cast yᵉ best to youre profite, for we must departe now vnto Antioche. And therfore wryte shortly agayne, that we maye knowe youre mynde. Fare well. In the hundreth xlviij. yeare, yᵉ xv. daye of the moneth of Aprill.

Notes to Chapter 11

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ 2. Ma. 10. e

⁽⁴⁾ 2. Mac. 3. d

⁽⁵⁾ 2. Ma. 9. b

Chapter 12

WHen these couenauntes were made,[A] Lysias wente vnto the kynge, and yᵉ Iewes tylled their grounde. But Timotheus, Appollonius the sonne of Gemei, Ierome and Demophon yᵉ proude, Nicanor yᵉ captayne of Cypers, and they that laye in those places: wolde not let them lyue in rest and peace. They of Ioppa also dyd euen soch a shamefull dede: They prayed yᵉ Iewes that dwelt amōge them, to go with their wyues and children in to the shippes which they had prepared, & dyd with them, as though they had ought them no euell wyll. For so moch then as there was gone forth a generall proclamaciō thorow yᵉ cite because of peace, they consented therto, and suspecte nothinge: but when they were gone forth in to the depe, they drowned no lesse then ij.C. of them.

Whē Iudas knew of this cruelte shewed vnto his people, he commaunded those that were with him to make them ready, exortinge them to call vpon God the righteous iudge: wēte forth agaynst those murthurers of his brethrē, set fyre in yᵉ hauen by night, brent vp yᵉ shippes, and those that escaped from the fyre, he slewe with the swearde. And when he had done this, he departed as though he wolde come agayne, and rote out all them of Ioppa. But when he had gottē worde that the Iamnites were mynded to do in like maner vnto yᵉ Iewes which dwelt amonge them, he came vpon the Iamnites by night, and set fyre in the hauen with the shippes: so that the light of the fyre was sene at Ierusalem, vpon a ii.C. & xl. furlonges.

Now when they were gone from thence ix. furlonges, in their iourney towarde Timotheus: v. thousande men of fote and v. hundreth horsmen of the Arabians fought [woodcut] with him. So when the batell was earnest, and prospered with Iudas thorow the helpe of God: yᵉ residue of the Arabians beynge ouercome, besought Iudas to be at one with them, and promised to geue him certayne pastures, & to do him good in other thinges. Iudas thynkynge that they shulde indede be profitable concernynge many thynges, promised them peace: whervpon they shoke hondes, and so they departed to their tentes. Iudas wente also vnto a cite, which was very fast kepte wᵗ brydges, fensed rounde aboute with walles, & dyuerse kyndes of people dwellinge therin, called Caspin.

[woodcut]

[C] They that were within it, put soch trust in the strength of the walles, & in their stoare of vytales: that they were the slacker in their doynges, cursinge and reuylinge Iudas with blasphemies, and speakynge soch wordes as it becommeth not. But Machabeus callynge vpon the greate prynce of yᵉ worlde (which without eny battayll rammes or ordinaunce of warre, dyd cast downe the walles of Iericho,⁽¹⁾ in the tyme of Iosue) fell manfully vpon the walles, toke the cite, and (thorow the helpe of the LORDE) made an exceadinge greate slaughter: In so moch that a lake of ij. furlōges brode which laye therby, semed to flowe with the bloude of the slayne.

Then departed they from thence vij.C. and L. furlonges, and came to Taraca vnto yᵉ Iewes that are called Tubianei. But as for Timotheus, they coude not get him there: for (not one matter dispatched,) he was departed from thence, and had lefte certayne men in a very stronge holde. But Dositheus and Sosipater which were captaynes with Machabeus, slewe those yᵗ Timotheus had lefte in the house of defence, euen x.M. men. And Machabeus prepared him with yᵉ vj.M. men yᵗ were aboute him, set them in ordre by companies, and wente forth agaynst Timotheus, which had with him an C. and xx.M. men of fote, ij.M. and v.C. horsmē.

When Timotheus had knowlege of Iudas [D] commynge, he sent the women, children and the other baggage vnto a castell called Carnion. (For it coude not be wonne, & was harde to come vnto, the wayes of the same places were so narow) and when Iudas cōpany came first in sight, the enemies were smytten with feare, thorow the presence of God, which seyth all thinges: In so moch yᵗ they fleynge one here, another there, were rather discomfited of their owne people,⁽²⁾ & woūded wᵗ the strokes of their owne sweardes. Iudas also was very earnest in folowinge vpon them and punyshinge those vngodly, and slewe xxx.M. men of them. Timotheus also himself fell in to the hondes of Dositheus & Sosipater, whom he besought with many prayers, to let him go with his life: because he had many of the Iewes fathers and brethren in preson, which (yf they put him to death) might be disapoynted. So when he had promised faithfully to delyuer them agayne acordinge to the condicion made, they let him go without harme. for the health of yᵉ brethren. And when Iudas had slayne xxv.M, he wente from Carnion.

A leaf is lacking here in the copy transcribed by EEBO-TCP. The text between ⟦ and ⟧ (2 Maccabees 12:31 - 14:15) is supplied from Samuel Bagster’s 1838 page-for-page reprint of this edition, read from its OCR word by word; ⟨illegible⟩ marks a word the OCR does not give with certainty, and the marginal notes of the lost leaf are not supplied. See this room’s Supplied Readings page for how such passages were supplied.

Now after yᵗ he had chased awaye and [E] slayne his enemies, he remoued the hoost towarde Ephron a strōge cite,⁽³⁾ wherin dwelt many dyuerse people of the Heithen, and yᵉ stronge yonge men kepte the walles, defendinge thē mightely. In this cite was moch ordinaunce, and prouysion of dartes.⁽⁴⁾ But when Iudas and his company had called vpon Allmighty God, (which wᵗ his power breaketh the strength of the enemies) they wanne the cite, and slew xxv.M. of them yᵗ were within. From thence wente they to the cite of the Scythians, which lieth vj.C. furlonges from Ierusalem. But when yᵉ Iewes which were in the cite testified, that the cite syns dealte louyngly with them, yee and intreated them kyndly in yᵉ tyme of their aduersite, Iudas and his company gaue them ⟦thankes, ⟨illegible⟩ them to be frendly still vnto them: and so they came to Ierusalem the hye feast of ⟨illegible⟩ wekes beynge at honde. And after the feast they wēte forth agaynst Gorgias the gouernoure of Idumea, with iij. ⟨illegible⟩ men of fote and iiij. C. horsmē. Which when they met together, it chaunsed a few of the Iewes to be slayne.

And Dositheus one of ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ mighty ⟨illegible⟩ toke holde of Gorgias, and wolde haue take him ⟨illegible⟩ But an ⟨illegible⟩ of ⟨illegible⟩ fell vpon him, and smote of his arme, so that Gorgias escaped and fled in to ⟨illegible⟩ When they now that were of Gorgias syde, had ⟨illegible⟩ longe and were weery: Iudas called vpon the LORDE that he wolde be their helper, & captayne of the felde: and with that, he beganne with a manly voyce to take vp a songe of prayse, and a crie: In so moch that he made the enemies afrayed, and Gorgias men of warre to take their flight. So Iudas gathered his hoost, and came in to yᵉ cite of Odolla. And when the seuenth daye came vpon them, they clensed them selues (as the custome was) & kepte the Sabbath in the same place. And vpon the daye folowinge, Iudas & his company came to take vp the bodies of them that were slayne, and to ⟨illegible⟩ them in yᵉ fathers graues. Now vnder yᵉ cotes of certayne Iewes which were slayne, they founde Iewels that they had taken out of the temple and from the Idols of ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ which thinge is forbydden the Iewes by the lawe. Then euery man sawe ⟨illegible⟩ this was the cause, wherfore they were slayne.

And so euery man gaue thankes vnto the LORDE for his righteous ⟨illegible⟩ which had opened the thinge that was hyd. They fell downe also vnto their prayers, and besought God, that the fawte which was made, might be put out of remembraunce. Besydes that, Iudas exorted yᵉ people earnestly, to kepe them ⟨illegible⟩ Some reade: twolue thousande.

selues from soch synne: for so moch as they sawe before their eyes, yᵗ these men were slayne for the same offence. So he gathered of euery one a certayne, in so moch that he brought together two thousande drachmas of syluer, which he sent vnto Ierusalem, yᵗ there might a sacrifice be offred for ⟨illegible⟩ myszdede. In the which place he dyd well ⟨illegible⟩ right: for he had some ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ of yᵉ life yᵗ is after this tyme. For yf he had not thought yᵗ they, which were slayne, dyd yet lyue, it had bene superfluous and vayne, to make eny vowe or sacrifice, for ⟨illegible⟩ yᵗ were deed. But for so moch as he sawe, that they which dye in the fauoure ⟨illegible⟩ beleue of God, are in good rest ⟨illegible⟩ ioye, he thought it to be good & honorable for a reconcylinge, to do the same for those which were slayne, that the offence might be forgeuen.

Notes to Chapter 12

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Iudit. 7. f 1. Re. 14. ⟨illegible⟩ 2. Pa. 20. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ 1. Mac. 5. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ 2. Ma. 10. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 13

IN the ⟨illegible⟩ yeare gat Iudas knowlege, ⟨illegible⟩ Antiochus Eupator was commynge with a greate power in to Iewry, & Lysias ⟨illegible⟩ stewarde & ruler of his matters with him: hauynge an C. and ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ men of fote, ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ horsmen, xxij. Elephantes, and iij. C. charettes. Menelaus also ioyned him self with them (but with greate disceate) & spake fayre to the kynge, not for eny good of yᵉ coūtre, but because he thought to haue bene made some greate man of auctorite. But the kynge of kynges moued Antiochus mynde agaynst this vngodly personne, & Lysias infourmed the kynge, that this Menelaus was the cause of all myschefe/ so that ⟨illegible⟩ kynge commaunded to take him, and (as yᵉ maner of them is) to put him vnto death in the same place.

There was also in the same place a tower of ⟨illegible⟩ cubites hye, heaped with aszshes: but aboue it was so made, that men might loke downe on euery syde. Where in to ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ commaunded that shamefull person to be cast amonge the aszshes, as one that was cause of all vngraciousnesse. And reason it was, yᵗ yᵉ ⟨illegible⟩ shulde dye soch a death, and not to be buried: for he had done moch myschefe vnto the aulter of God (whose fyre and aszshes were holy) therfore was it right, ⟨illegible⟩ he him self also shulde be destroyed with aszshes. But the kynge was woode in his mynde, & came to shewe him self more cruell vnto the Iewes, then his father was. Which when Iudas perceaued, he commaunded the people to call vpon the LORDE night and daye: that he wolde now helpe them also, like as he had done allwaye: For they were afrayed to be put from their lawe, from their naturall countre and from ⟨illegible⟩ holy temple:) and not to suffre the people (which a litle whyle afore beganne to recouer) to be subdued agayne of yᵉ blasphemous nacions.

So when they had done this together, and besought the LORDE for mercy, with wepynge and fastinge thre dayes longe, flat vpon the grounde: Iudas exorted them, to make them selues ready. But he and the elders together deuysed, to go forth first with their people, afore the kynge brought his hoost in to Iewry, and afore he beseged the cite, & so to committe the matter vnto God. Wherfore he ascrybed the power of all thinges vnto God the maker of yᵉ worlde, exortinge his people to fight manfully, (yee euen vnto death) for yᵉ lawes, the temple, yᵉ cite, their owne natyue countre, to defende ⟨illegible⟩ citesyns: & set his hoost before Modin. He gaue them also yᵗ were with him, a token of yᵉ victory of God, ⟨illegible⟩ out the ⟨illegible⟩ yonge men, wente by night in to the kynges pauylion, slewe of the hoost xiiij. ⟨illegible⟩ men, and the greatest Elephantes, with those that sat vpon them.

Thus when they had brought a greate feare it rumoure amonge yᵉ tentes of their enemies, and all thinges wente prosperously with them, they departed in the breake of yᵉ daye, God beynge their helper ⟨illegible⟩ defender. Now when the kynge perceaued ⟨illegible⟩ manlynesse of the Iewes, he wente aboute to take ⟨illegible⟩ stronge places by craft, ⟨illegible⟩ remoued his hoost vnto Bethsura, which was a wel kepte house of defence of the Iewes: but they were chaced awaye, hurte and discomfited. And Iudas sent vnto them that were in it, soch thinges as were necessary. In the Iewes hoost also there was one ⟨illegible⟩ which tolde the enemies their secretes: but they sought him out, and when they had gotten him, they put him in preson. After this dyd the kynge comon with them that were in Bethsura, ⟨illegible⟩ truce with them, departed.

and stroke a battayll with Iudas, which ouercame him.

But when he ⟨illegible⟩ that Philippe (whom he had left to be ouerseer of his busynesses at Antioche) begāne to rebell agaynst him, he was astonnied in his ⟨illegible⟩ so that he yelded himself to the Iewes, and made them an ooth, to do what so euer they thought right. Now when he was reconcyled with them, he offred, made moch of the temple, gaue greate gyftes vnto it, enbraced Machabeus, makynge him captayne and gouernoure from Ptolomais vnto ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩

Neuerthelesse when he came to Ptolomais, the people of the cite were not content with that bonde of frendshipe: for they were afrayed, that he wolde breake the couenaunt Then wente Lysias vp in to the seate, and enfourmed the people, shewed ⟨illegible⟩ the cause why, and pacified them. So he came agayne to Antioche. This is now the matter concernynge yᵉ kynges iourney, and his returne.

Chapter 14

AFTER thre yeares was Iudas infourmed; how that Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus was come vp with a greate power and shippes, thorow the hauen of ⟨illegible⟩ (to take certayne ⟨illegible⟩ places and countrees) agaynst Antiochus and his ⟨illegible⟩ Lysias Now Alcimus (which had bene hye prest, and wilfully defyled himself, in the tyme of ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ seynge, that by no meanes he coude be helped, ner haue eny more intraunce to the altare: he came to kynge Demetrius in the hundreth and one and fiftie yeare, ⟨illegible⟩ vnto him a crowne of golde, ⟨illegible⟩ palme and an olyue tre: which (as men thought) belonged to the temple, and that daye he helde his tonge.

But when he had gotten oportunite for his madnesse, Demetrius called him to coūcell, and axed him, what thinges or councels the Iewes leaned vnto? He answered: The Iewes that be called ⟨illegible⟩ (whose captayne is Iudas Machabeus) maynteyne warres, make ⟨illegible⟩ and wyl not let the realme be in peace.

For I beynge ⟨illegible⟩ of my fathers ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ meane the hye presthode) am come hither: partly because I was faithfull vnto the kynge, and partly because I sought ⟨illegible⟩ profit of the citesyns. And why? all oure people (thorow the wickednesse of them) are not a litle troubled. Wherfore I beseke the (o kynge) considre all these thinges diligently, and then make some prouysion for the londe and the people, acordinge to ⟨illegible⟩ kyndnesse that thou hast ⟨illegible⟩ vnto them. For as longe as Iudas hath the vpper hande, it is not possible that men can lyue in peace.

When he had spoken these wordes, other frendes also hauynge euell will at Iudas, set the kynge Demetrius on fyre agaynst him. Which immediatly sent Nicanor (ruler of yᵉ ⟨illegible⟩ a captayne, in to Iewry: ⟨illegible⟩ him, to take Iudas himself alyue, but to slaye them that were with him, and to make Alcimus hye prest of the temple.

Then the Heithen which fled out of Iewry from Iudas, came to Nicanor by flockes, thinkynge ⟨illegible⟩ harme and decaye of the Iewes to be their welfare. Now whē the Iewes herde of Nicanors commynge, & ⟨illegible⟩ gatherynge together of yᵉ Heithē: they spreckled them selues with earth, and besought⟧ him (which made them his people, and euer defended his owne porcion with euydent tokens) that he wolde preserue them still. So at the commaundement of the captayne, they remoued from thence, and came to a towne called Dessasan. And Symon Iudas brother fell in honde with Nicanor, but thorow the sodane commynge of the enemies, he was afrayed.

Neuertheles Nicanor hearinge the manlynes of them that were with Iudas, and yᵉ bolde stomackes that they had to fight for their naturall countre, durst not proue the matter with bloudsheddinge. Wherfore he sent Possidonius, Theodocius & Mathias before, to geue and to take peace. So when they had taken longe advysement there vpon, and the captayne shewed it vnto the multitude: they were agreed in one mynde, to haue peace. And they appoynted a daye to syt vpon these matters quyetly amonge them selues, yᵉ stoles also were brought and set forth. Neuerthelesse Iudas cōmaunded certaine men of armes to waite in conueniēt places, lest there shulde sodenly aryse eny euell thorow the enemies. And so they commoned reasonably together.

[D] Nicanor, whyle he abode at Ierusalem, ordred himself not vnreasonably, but sent awaye the people that were gathered together. He loued Iudas euer with his hert, and fauoured him. He prayed him also to take a wyfe, and to brynge forth children. So he maried, lyued in rest, and they led a comon life. But Alcimus perceauynge the loue that was betwixte them, and how they were agreed together, came to Demetrius, and tolde him that Nicanor had taken straunge matters in honde, and ordened Iudas (an enemy of the realme) to be the kynges successoure. Then the kinge was sore displeased, and thorow the wicked accusations which Alcimus made of Nicanor, he was so prouoked, that he wrote vnto Nicanor, sayenge: that he was very angrie for the frendshipe and agrement, which he had made with Machabeus. Neuertheles he commaunded him in all the haist, that he shulde take Machabeus presoner, and sende him to Antioche.

Which lettres when Nicanor had sene, [E] he was at his wittes ende, and sore greued, that he shulde breake the thinges, wherin they had agreed: specially, seynge Machabeus was the man, that neuer dyd him harme. But because he might not withstonde the kynge, he sought oportunite to fulfil his commaundement. Notwithstondinge when Machabeus sawe that Nicanor beganne to be churlish vnto him, and that he intreated him more rughly then he was wonte, he perceaued that soch vnkyndnes came not of good, and therfore he gathered a few of his men, and withdrewe himself frō Nicanor. Which when he knewe that Machabeus had manfully preuented him, he came in to the greate and most holy temple: and commaunded the prestes (which were doynge their vsuall offeringes) to delyuer him the man. And when they sware that they coude not tell, where the mā was whō he sought, he stretched out his honde, and made an ooth, sayenge: Yf ye wyll not delyuer me Iudas captyue,⁽¹⁾ I shall remoue this temple of God in to the playne felde, I shal breake downe the aulter, and consecrate this tēple vnto Bachus. After these wordes he departed.

Then the prestes lift vp their hondes towarde [F] heauen, and besought him that was euer the defender of their people, sayenge: Thou o LORDE of all, which hast nede of nothinge, woldest that the temple of thy habitacion shulde be amonge vs. Therfore now (o most holy LORDE) kepe this house euer vndefyled, which lately was clensed.⁽²⁾ Now was there accused vnto Nicanor, one Razis an Alderman of Ierusalem, a louer of the whole cite, and a man of good reporte: which for the kynde hert that he bare vnto the people, was called a father of yᵉ Iewes. This man oft tymes (when the Iewes were mynded to kepe them selues vndefyled) defended and delyuered them, beynge content stedfastly to spende his body and his life for his people.

So Nicanor wyllinge to declare the hate,[G] that he bare to the Iewes, sent fyue hundreth men to take him: for he thought, yf he gat him, he shulde brynge the Iewes in greate decaye. Now when the people beganne to ruszshe in at his house, to breake the dores, and to set fyre on it: he beynge now taken, wolde haue defended himself with his swearde: chosinge rather to dye manfully, then to yelde himselfe to those wicked doers: and because of his noble stocke, he had rather haue bene put to extreme cruelte.

Notwithstondynge what tyme as he myssed of his stroke for haist, and the multitude fell in violently betwixte the dores: he rāne boldly to yᵉ wall, & cast himself downe manfully amonge the heape of them, which gaue soone place to his fall, so that he fell vpon his bely. Neuerthelesse whyle there was yet breath within him, he was kyndled in his mynde: and whyle his bloude guszshed out exceadingly (for he was very sore wounded) he ranne thorow the myddest of yᵉ people, and gat him to the toppe of a rocke. So when his bloude was now gone, he toke out his owne bowels with both his hondes, and threw them vpon the people: callinge vpon the LORDE of life and sprete, to rewarde him this agayne, and so he dyed.

Notes to Chapter 14

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 15

[A] NOw when Nicanor knewe that Iudas was in the countre of Samaria,⁽¹⁾ he thought with all his power to strike a felde with him vpon a Sabbath daye. Neuerthelesse the Iewes that were compelled to go with him, sayed: O do not so cruelly and vnkyndly, but halowe yᵗ Sabbath daye, and worshipe him that seyth all thinges. For all this, yet sayed the vngracious personne:⁽²⁾ Is there a mightie one in heauen, that commaunded the Sabbath daye to be kepte? And when they sayde: yee the lyuynge God, the mightie LORDE in heauen commaunded the seuenth daye to be kepte,⁽³⁾ he sayde: And I am mightie vpon earth, to commaunde them for to arme them selues, and to perfourme the kynges busynesse. Notwithstondinge he might not haue his purpose.

[B] Nicanor had deuysed with greate pryde to ouercome Iudas, and to brynge awaye yᵉ victory. But Machabeus had euer a fast confidēce and a parfecte hope in God that he wolde helpe him, and exorted his people, not to be afrayed at the commynge of the Heithen: but allwaye to remembre the helpe that had bene shewed vnto them from heauen, yee and to be sure now also, yᵗ Allmightie God wolde geue them the victory. He spake vnto them out of the lawe and prophetes, puttinge them in remembraunce of the battayls, that they had striken afore, & made them to be of a good corage.

So when their hartes were plucte vp, he shewed them also the disceatfulnesse of the Heithen, and how they wolde kepe no couenaunt ner ooth. Thus he weapened thē not with the armoure of shylde and speare, but with wholsome wordes and exortacions. He shewed them a dreame also, wherthorow he made them all glad, which was this: He thought that he sawe Onias (which had bene hye prest, a vertuous & louynge man, sad, and of honest conuersacion, well spoken, and nee that had bene exercised in godlynes frō a childe) holdinge vp his hōdes towarde heauen, and prayenge for his people. After this [C] there apeared vnto him another mā, which was aged, honorable and glorious. And Onias sayde: This is a louer of the brethren, and of the people of Israel. This is he that prayeth moch for the people, and for all the holy cite: Ieremy the prophet of God. He thought also yᵗ Ieremy helde out his right hōde, and gaue him (namely vnto Iudas) a swearde of golde, sayenge: Take this holy swearde, a gifte from God, wherwith thou shalt smyte downe the enemies of the people of Israel.

And so they were wel conforted thorow the wordes of Iudas, and toke corage vnto thē, so that the yonge men were determed in their myndes to fight, & to byde styfly at it: In so moch that in the thinges which they toke in honde, their boldnesse shewed the same, because the holy cite and the temple were in parell: for the which they toke more care, then for their wyues, children, brethrē and kynsfolkes. Agayne, they that were in the cite, were most carefull for those which were to fight. Now when they were all in a hope that the iudgment of the matter was at hōde, and the enemies drew nye, the hoost beynge set in araye, the Elephantes and horsmē euery one stondinge in his place: Machabeus considered the commynge of the multitude, the ordinaunce of dyuerse weapens,[D] the cruelnesse of the beestes, and helde vp his hondes towarde heauen, callinge vpon the LORDE that doth wonders, which geueth not the victory after the multitude of weapens and power of the hoost (but to them that please him) acordinge to his owne will.⁽⁴⁾ Therfore in his prayer he sayde these wordes:

O LORDE, ⁽⁵⁾ thou that diddest sende thine angell in the tyme of Ezechias kynge of Iuda, and in the hoost of Sennacherib slewest an hundreth and fyue and foure score thousande: sende now also thy good angell before vs (o LORDE of heauens) in the fearfulnesse and drede of thy mightie arme, that they which come agaynst thy holy people to blaspheme them, maye be afrayed. And so he made an ende of his wordes. Then Nicanor and they that were with him, drew nye with shawmes and songes: but Iudas and his company with prayer and callinge vpon God.

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With their hondes they smote, but with their hertes they prayed vnto the LORDE, and slewe no lesse then xxxv.M. mē: For thorow the present helpe of God they were gloriously conforted.

[E] Now when they left of, and were turninge agayne with ioye, they vnderstode that Nicanor himself was slayne with the other. Then they gaue a greate shoute and a crie, praysinge the allmighty LORDE with a loude voyce. And Iudas (which was euer ready to spende his body and life for his citesyns) commaunded to smyte of Nicanors heade, with his arme and honde, and to be brought to Ierusalem. When he came there, he called all the people, and the prestes at the aulter with those that were in yᵉ castell, and shewed them Nicanors heade, and his wicked honde, which he had presumptuously holden vp agaynst the temple of God. He caused yᵉ tonge also of that vngodly Nicanor to be cut in litle peces, and to be cast to the foules, and the cruell mans honde to be hanged vp before the temple.

So euery man gaue thankes vnto yᵉ LORDE, saienge: blessed be he, that hath kepte his place vndefyled.

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As fo: Nicanors heade, he hanged it vp vpō the hye castell, for an euydent and playne token of the helpe of God. And so they agreed all together, to kepe that daye holy: namely yᵉ xiij. daye of yᵉ moneth Adar, which in yᵉ Syriās lāguage is called yᵉ nexte daye before Mardocheus daye. Thus was Nicanor slayne, and from that tyme forth the Iewes had the cite in possession: And here wil I now make an ende.

Notes to Chapter 15

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩0. c

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ 2. Pa. 14. Iudic. 7.

⁽⁵⁾ 4. Reg. 19. g Esa. 37. f 1. Mac. 7. 2. Ma. ⟨illegible⟩.

The end⟨illegible⟩ of the seconde boke of the Machabees.

Colophon

This page is an archival transcription of the printed text, not a Good Works Translation. Source: Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe (M.D.XXXV; STC 2063.3), translated by Myles Coverdale, the copy in Cambridge University Library, keyed and encoded by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP Phase I, text A10349, 2005) and released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication.

2 places illegible in the Cambridge copy were filled from Samuel Bagster’s 1838 page-for-page reprint of the edition (archive.org, holyscriptures00cove), only where the reprint’s reading is certain; each fill is listed on this room’s Supplied Readings page; 66 places are still marked ⟨illegible⟩ (2 in the text, 64 in the marginal notes); the supplied passage contains 74 words the reprint’s OCR does not give with certainty, marked ⟨illegible⟩.

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