IN those dayes dwelt the Iewes & A­ramites together in all the Cities of Siria, amongst whom also warre was moued, for the Cesarians brought the Romaines into the towne againste the Iewes, & slue thē as mani as thei could finde in the towne. The Damascians also conspired together to distroy al the Iewes that dwelt amongst thē, which thing thei kept secrete frō their wiues, bicause for the most part thei fauoured the Iewes religion. Therfore the A­ramites vppon a certaine night armed for the purpose, beset all the waies and [Page lxxiiii]entrances into the towne, & the houses also, and slue about .x. M. of the Iewes commynge vppon them at vnwares when they were in their beddes, no­thinge mistrustynge any such matter. Whē the Iewes of Hierusalem heard howe the Aramites had dealt with the Iewes in their countrey: sodainly they put them selues in armes, and in a fury and rage like as it hadde bene Lions & beares that had lost their whelps, they ranne to Damasco, burnt their holdes, slew the Damascians with the sword, man, woman, & childe, euē the very suc­king babes: yea, their oxē, shepe, camels, & asses, with all other cattell, leauinge none aliue. And thus they dealt wyth many cities of the Sirians, sleing and killynge them, not sparyng either olde or yonge: male, or female: but distrey­inge all in most cruell wyse, euen the the verye infantes and sucklyngs they haled from their mothers breastes and murthered them, in so muche that all the whole Lande was full of stenche of the deade bodyes that were slayne, [Page]for there was no man left to burye the carcases. So the Iewes wasted all the lād of y^e Aramits, & had destroied it had not Castius a captaine of the Romains deliuered Siria & the countrey of Zofa. The people therfore departed wholly frō Aram to return into Iudea, & in the waie thei came bi Scithopolis a citie of Siria, entending to besiege it, for it was yet left vntouched, & was verie strong. At that time also Iewes and Aramites dwelt together in it. The Iewes ther­fore that were without, offred peace to the Iews y^e dwelt in the town: but thei refused it, and defied them, railinge at them, and for their frendly offer acqui­ted them with opprobrious wordes, & with in [...]uries also. For those Iewes that dwelt in the foresaid citie with the Aramits, loued together like brethren, and for the more parte thei were of the Leuitical tribe, stoute men and hardy. The hoste of the Iewes without the ci­tie, saide vnto them: Wee come frend­ly vnto you, and would aide you. The other Iewes within annswered: Wee [Page lxxv]will neither your frendship nor aide. The armie of the Iewes hearing that, cōsented and agreed to raise their siege, to goe to Hierusalem, and there to re­maine. For thei had a huge bootie of goulde and siluer that they had gotten together of the spoiles of Siria. After this, the Sirians that dwelt in Scitho­polis saide one to another: Putcase the Iewes returne agayne & make warre vpon vs: surelye if they shoulde so do, these Iewes that dwell amongest vs would ioine with them, and deliuer vp the Citye into their handes, and then woulde they be reuenged vpon vs, and distroy vs as they haue done the other cities of Siria. Therfore they agreed to saye vnto the Iewes that inhabited the citye with them: Wee vnderstand your countrey men will inuade vs a­gain, and make warre vpon vs: wher­fore departe ye forthe of the citie wyth your wiues and children, and lodge in the woode nie vnto the citye, till their armye be gone againe, and then you shal return vnto vs. The Iewes were [Page]content to fulfil their mindes, wēt out of the citye, and placed them selues in the woode. There was amongst them a certaine yonge man named Schime­on, a good man of watre, fearce, bigge made, and verye stronge withall: he in fauoure of the gentiles had slaine ma­nye of the Iewes, and solde muche of the people of God. For duringe the time that the Iewes besieged Sitho­polis: he issued oute continuallye, and skirmished with the host of the Iewes, many times puttinge them to flighte, and neuer would suffer them to waste the towne or to do anye harme to the inhabitauntes thereof. Nowe as this Schimeon with his father Saule an ho­nest old man, and the reast of the peo­ple of the Iewes that dwelte in Sci­thopolis, remained all together boldly in the woode, withoute mistrustinge anye harme: the Romaines ioyned with the Sirians in greate nomber, en­tred the woode and slew the Iewes all that euer they could finde, to the nom­ber of .xiii. thousande. Schimeon him [Page lxxvi]selfe with his father and their fami­lies had pitched their tentes nie vnto a faire fountain y^t was in the woode, to whome when their ennemies came to slea them and to destroye their hole families: Schimeon ranne vpon them with his drawne sweard, made a great slaughter of theim, and constreyned them to retire. But when as a huge multitude inuironed him, and he per­ceiued that all the reaste of the Iewes were slaine, and he with his housholde onlye remained, nether sawe he anye waye to escape: he stepte vppon a little hyll wyth hys naked swearde, sayinge: Harken vnto me ye Sirians and Romaines and ye that dwell in Scithopoles, I will speake vnto you a fewe woordes full of lamentacion and sorowe. Nowe I perceiue that iustli and not without a cause ye make warre against me, withoute any fauor or cōsideracion y^t I haue deliuered you from the hostes of the Iewes, & neuer suffred thē to do any displesure to you, [Page]your wiues and children, nor to your city as they had done to other cities of Siria. For I am he that for your sakes haue warred against my country men to please you withall: yea, bothe their bloud and mine owne haue I pledged vnto you: and haue kept immolated the loue of straungers, hatinge mine owne people, of whome, for your pleasures I haue slain oft both the fathers and the children: and nowe you render euill for the good that I haue done vnto you. But in dede God of his iust iudgmente hathe stirred you vp to rewarde me in this sorte, to murther me that haue so oft receiued you. Now therfore ye shall beare me witnesse that I shal sufficiēt­ly and sharpli inough take vengeaunce of my self, not withoute rage and furye most seuerly, because I haue slaine my felowes & frendes. I will therfore like­wise slea my selfe to be auenged of my self for my brothers bloude that I haue shed: and so shal I be a reuēger of their blud. And ye shal wel perceiue me to be of that hardinesse & courage that rather [Page lxxvii]then ye shuld slea me, and after boast & bragge how ye haue killed Schimeon: I wil bereue my selfe of my life and punishe the sheadinge of my brothers bloud none otherwise then the law pu­nisheth a murtherer and a māqueller. When he had spokē this, his eies were filled with bloud & his face with rage, and so inflamed with furie, latynge a­parte all pity: ran and caught holde of his father, haled him oute of the woode and slue him, Then slue he his mother least she should intreat him for the chil­dren, and be sory for their sakes. That done, his wife came runninge of hir owne accord, and held her necke downe to the sword: leaste she shoulde be con­strained to see her children die. Yea, Schimeons children came and offered them selues to be slain: least they should see the deathe of their father, or remain after him to be deliuered to the enne­mies. After this he slue all his hole fa­mily, that not one of his shoulde come into the hādes of their enemies. Final­lye, he gathered their bodies together [Page]into one place like a valiaunte stoute warrioure, and then boldlye goarded him selfe vpon his owne sworde, least any mā else should impare his strēgth, or boast that he had killed him. Al this Schimeon did with a greate courage to take punishment of him self, because he had bestowed his loue rather vpon straungers then vpon his owne peo­ple, and to declare his force and man­hode. So he died an abhominable and detestable death, saue onlye it was an argument of his hauty minde & great courage, as it is said before.

NOw when the Iews had thus re­belled against the Romains & slain their souldioures and captaines: king Agrippas went to Rome, and recoun­ted vnto Nero Cesar the Emperour of Rome al that was happened. Where­vpon Nero sente captaine Castius (that was at that time in Siria, & had made warre vpon the kinge of Persia, had vanquished him and al his power, and subdued hys dominyons to the Ro­maines,) and with him a puissante ar­mie [Page lxxviii]of Romaines, commaunding him to go into Iudea to offer peace vnto the people, to comfort them, and to bringe them again into league with the Ro­maines if it might be. Castius therfore toke his iourney toward Iudea, whom Agrippas met in the waye, & informed him what had happened vnto him of the Iewes: howe he had offred them peace and they would none of it, howe also they had burnte his palaice & sac­ked it. Castius hearing that, was verye glad that he had gotten suche an occa­sion to reuenge the bloude of the Ro­maines and Sirians whiche the Iewes had shed. Wherfore he leuied a mighti army and came to Cesarea. And wher­soeuer he might espy the goodliest buil dinges, those caused he to be burnte. From thence wente he to the citye Ia­pho, which he besieged both by land & by water, and at length wan it: where he slue in the streates eyghte thousand and foure hundreth menne. After that he came to Iabes, where he fyrste brente all the Countrye aboute it, [Page]and whom so euer he caught withoute the town, he slue them. But the citizins of Zippori went out to mete Castius, & besought him of peace: whom he spa­red, came not nie their towne, nor slew any that dwelt in their countrey. The sedicious Iewes that were in the citye of Zippori, hearing of Castius cōming: fledde vnto the mountains. But in the waie they lighted vpon part of Castius army, wherof they slew .ii. hundred mē, and wounded their captaine Glaphira. Yet at lengthe the sedicious were put to flight, and manye of them, Glaphira with his horsmen pursued, ouerthrew, and distroyed: the rest fled to the moun­tains. Then Glaphira captaine of Ca­stius armie wente to Cesaria that was subdued to y^e Romaynes, there to cure his woūds y^t the Iewes had geuē him. From thence wente hee to Antipire, which as he would haue assaulted, perceiued it to be furnished with a greate power of the Iewes & sedicious. These hearing that Castius also was cōming, thei went purposely to fight with him: [Page lxxix]but perceiuing that Castius power was very great: thei determined to encoun­ter with him in the plaine of Gibeon, 50. miles from Hierusalem. Wherupō the Iewes with their companies fay­ned them selues to flee, to thintent they might stale the Romaines after them. And within .vi. daies they came to Gi­beon, and there rested. Castius pursued after with his whole hoste till he came to Gibeon, whiche he besieged and as­saulted also. It chaunced then vppon one of the Sabbothes in the mornyng watch, the Iewes (armed at al places) issued out of the towne to geue their e­nemies a Camisado. So after they had geuen a token of warre, they marched towarde the hoste of Castius, whereof they slewe. 515. horsemen, and fotemen 27. thousand, with the losse of onely. 22. of their owne companie. In that bat­taile did well appeare the valiantnesse of Mugbas a captain of the Iewes ar­mie. One Baudius also plaied the man at the same time: for at the commaun­dement of Eleasar the priest, chief of the [Page]sedicious, he set the first fote within the Romains cāpe. Then began the Iew­ish warriours to be famous, after they had once so manfully encountred with the Romains. This done, Castius and Agrippas sente their embassadours yet once agayne to Hierusalem to Eleasar the sonne of Anany the priest, chiefe of the rebels that were in Iudea and Hie­rusalem: requiring peace, and to come in league with Eleasar, least the people the people of the Iewes shoulde be di­stroied bi the Romains incursions and inuasions on euerye side. But Eleasar refused to heare the legates, and slewe one of them because he made to manye woordes in persuadinge the peace and league. Vppon this, Eleasar assembled the priestes and people together to go out & fight with Castius. Castius per­ceiuinge howe Eleasar and the people were affected, and what mindes they were of, how thei had vtterly conspired to distroy the Romaines y^t were there, and to consume them cleane, hauing a sufficient trial also of the force and va­liantnesse [Page lxxx]of the rebels: he determined fullye to go to Rome, for he perceiued he was not able to matche with the se­dicious, neither his owne power to be compared with theirs. Wherefore he woulde go see what ende shoulde come of this warres, and what counsell Cae­sars maiestie would geue. Taking his iourney therfore to the citye Iapho, he founde there letters of the Romaines, for thither was their armie come. Frō thence wente hee with theim and his owne host to Rome, and made relation vnto Caesar of such things as had chaū ced him: whereat Nero was wonder­fully abashed, & not onely he, but all the people of Rome were soore astonied to hear of the great puissant and valiant­nes of the Iewes. For the which cause the warres ceased for that yere, so y^t the land of Iudea was at great rest & quiet­nes y^e yere through Eleasars means the head rebel, specially frō y^e hands of wic­ked Castius, y^t had sworne to reueng the Romaines, & to quite the Iewes: and that he would destroye all the Iewes, that none shoulde be left aliue. [Page]Therefore these are they that deliuered Israel in the time of the second temple oute of the handes of their ennemies, what time as warres were moued a­gainst the Iewes and their countrye: what time also commotions and tu­multes began in Israell. The first bu­sinesse was made by Antiochus the wicked kinge of Macedonia: who had determined, not to leaue one man in Israel. His mischeuousnesse proceded so farre, that he slue of the people of God, the Sages & wise men, princes, elders, and yonge men, children greate and smal, Israelites, Leuites also and priestes: vntil all the chiefe men of Iu­da cast their heades together and went to Matthathias sonne of Iochanan the hie prieste in the mounte of Modiith, where he had him self for the iniquity of Antiochus and his rulers, cryinge vpon him, and sayinge: Deliuer at this season the people of the Lord, and neuer thinke to escape thy self, whiles the moste wicked enemy raūgeth thus and runneth vpon thy people, & shea­deth [Page lxxxi]thy bloud. For the bloud of all Is­rael what is it but thy bloude, and the eies of euery man are fixed vpon thee, hopinge that thou shouldest assist and aide them in this calamitie, that they may finde deliuerance by thy meanes. Mattathias hearyng this, wept bitterly and said vnto them: Feare ye not, nor let these Macedonians dismay you: the Lorde shal fighte for you, be ye onelye quiet. So thē was Mattathias stirred, & deliuered Israell oute of the handes of Antiochus, and after he had ouercomed him, he was hie priest for one yere, and then died. In whose roume succeaded Iudas his sonne, who executed the office in the temple .vi. yeres, and was slaine in battaile. Then his brother Iochanan was chief in the temple .viii. yeres, and died likewise in battaile. After him his brother Schimeon was ruler .18. yeres, whō Ptolomae his wiues father poy­soned at a banket. Then Iochanan his sonne succeaded his father in thoffice, that is he that was named Hircanus, first of that name: so called, because he [Page]vanquished a king of that name called Hircanus, he raigned .21. yeres and died. Afterwardes raigned Aristobulus one yere, he was called the great kinge, be­cause he firste put the royall crowne v­pon his heade, and turned the dignitie of the hie priesthode into a kingdome, vnhallowing and staining the holines therof. 480. yeares and .iii. monethes after the retourninge of Israell from Babilon. He beyng dead, his brother Alexander reigned .xxvii. yeares. After whose death Alexandra his wyfe, held the kyngdome .ix. yeares and died. In whose stede succeded her sonne Aristo­bulus, and reigned thre yeares. In his tyme Pompei a Romain captain, came against Hierusalem, wan it and appre­hended Aristobulus, bound him in irōs and caried him captiue to Rome. In whose place he ordeiued Hircanus his brother to succede, who reigned fourty yeares. During his reigne, rebelled An tigonus, forme of Aristobulus Hircanꝰ brother, & with the aide of an armie of the Persians encountred with Hircanus [Page lxxxii]toke him prisoner and sent him to Ba­bilon, cutting of his eares, y^t he should neuer after be meet either for the prie­sthod or for the kingdome. Antigonus reigned .iii. yeres. In his daies Herode fled, and ioyned himselfe with the Ro­maines, by whose helpe he slue Antigo­nus the .iii. yeare of his reigne, & reig­ned after him .xxxvii. yeares, and then died. After Herode succeded in the king dome, Archelaus his sonne: who was taken by the Romaines the .ix. yeare of his reigne, layde in bondes and en­ded his life at Rome. Next to him reig­ned Antipater his brother, who chaun­ged his name & called him self Herode, he reigning fully ten yeares, ouercame and vasted Spaine, because the king of Spayne had rauished and taken away his brothers wyfe, and there died. Af­ter him folowed Agrippas sonne of A­ristobulus that was his brothers son, he reigned thre and twenty yeares. After whose death his sonne Agrippas reigned twentye yeares. [Page]This is that Agrippa of whom▪ wee now speake of, & of the calamities that befel in his time vpon Israel. For all the wh [...]le y^t he raigned, the warres be­twene the Romains and Israell neuer ceased, vntil the people of Iudea were led captiue into the prouince of the Ro­mains: what time also the temple was desolate. I meane the desolation of the second temple, which we saw with our eies builded and distroyed.

THe .xx. yere of the raigne of kynge Agrippas, the .ix. daye of the fifte moneth that is called Af, Nero Caesar sent a present for burnt offerings to be offred in the temple at Hierusalē, [...]ly. requi­ring peace of thelders & sages of Iudea & Hierusalem, & that thei would receiue him into league with them, saiyng: My request is that you would offer my pre­sent to the Lorde your God, for his ser­nice and religion liketh me very well, so that I desire you to ioyne in league with me accordinge as you haue done with the emperours of Rome my pre­decessours in time past. I haue hearde [Page lxxxiii]what Castius the captain of mine armi hath done vnto you, which displeaseth me out of measure. Wherfore I assure vnto you a faithful league, by the con­sent and coūsel of the Senate of Rome, that hereafter there shall neuer Ro­maine captaine stirre hand nor fote a­gainst you, but rather your heades, ru­lers, & iudges, shal be al Iewes and of Ierusalem. Yea, Agrippas your kinge shalbe Lorde of all your rulers, & what he commaundeth ye shal do it, the Ro­mains shal only be called your lordes, and haue no more to do with you. So when these legates came to Ierusalē, they wente and spake with Anani the priest, informed him of Neroes minde, & shewed him his presēt, placing it afore him. The present was this, a bull for a burnt offring with a great crown of gold vpō his head, his hornes also were couered with gold, vpō him was a cloth of purple poudred w^t precious stones: there wēt certain afore him y^e caried .x. talentes of gold: behind folowed verye many shepe for peace offringes. Whē [Page] Eleasar Ananies sonne heard therof, he came & cast out of he temple of the Lord Nero Caesars presentes, saiyng: we will not suspend & vnhallow y^e sanctuary of our Lord with the offerings of straun­gers. For oure Lorde God will▪ ac­cept nother their burnt offeringes nor their peace offerynges. When he had so fayd: he sounded a trompet, set hys men in araye againste the hoste of the Romaines that kepte watche & warde in the citie of Hierusalem, and flewe manye of them that daie, with one of their capitaines also, and another they toke aliue. He beyng a valiaunt man, and seyng the routes of the Iewes to vrge him greuously, sayde vnto them: saue my life and I will yelde me. Vnto whome Eleasar the rebell sware that he would not slea him, but spare him for his manhede, (for he has slayne verye many of the Iewes afore) whereupon he yelded him selfe. Then Eleasar sayde vnto him: like as thi sword hath made many women childles, so shall thy mo­ther be made childles of thee aboue all [Page lxxxiiii]other, and therewith contrarye to his othe he commaunded his seruaunt to kyll hym and so he died. Kyng Agrip­pas seing this, was wonderfull sorye, therfore as he stoode in one of the stre­tes, he cried. O thou rebell Eleasar, I praye God that this mischief, whereof thou art cause, and thy actes may light [...]pō thee and thy fathers house: which when it comes to passe, we shall neuer bewayle nor be dismaied at. It appea­reth they shall haue sumwhat to dooe, that study to make peace and tranquil litie in thy daies, for they are sure to be destroied with thee. Howe longe wilte thou cōtinue to bring vs into the brea­res, thou enemie & hater of the Lorde? Why doest thou destroy & waste y^e vin­yard of the Lord God of hostes? Eleasar answered him: what, takest thou vpon thee, the name of a king? for if thou be a king, why cōmaundest thou not vs to be punished. Where be thy valeāt sou­diours? let see, come thou & they toge­ther & chasten me, that it may be tried whether thou be a king in dede or no. [Page]Thou stādest a loofe of, and whē thou speakest, thy fete are readye to run a­way, like as though a dogge should set him selfe againste an armed man and barke at him, bleatinge out his tonge. With this, he wincked vppon the re­bels his complices, to run vpon Agrip­pas and take him whiles he helde him in talke. But that was perceiued of one of Agrippas seruaunies, whome he had appointed for the same purpose to stand ouer against him as nie as he might, to marke and espy if the rebels should make any stour towardes him, and to let him haue knowledge. He th [...]rfore laying his hand vpon his hed, gaue a signe to the king to [...]lie, saying: Away, away, for if thou tary neuer so litle, the sedicious will slea the and vs together. Which Agrippas perceiuing he gate him thence with all the spede he might, and the rebels pursued him but in vaine, [...]r they coulde not euer­take him. So he gate to Iapho a town vnder the Romaines where he was in sauegard. Frō thence he fled to Rome, [Page lxxxv]and declared to themperoure Nero, the mischiefe that befel at Ierusalem, and al that seditious Eleasar had done to his offring: also how his commaunde­ment toke no place. Wherefore Nero ioyned vnto him againe Castius with a huge army, wherwith they both en­tred Iudea and wanne manye walled townes, amongst which they raced Ia­pho. For the Romaines perceiuinge the power of the Rebels to encrease, were afraid least they should get it in­to their handes, wherby it might be a­noyaunce in time to come to the Ro­maines: chiefly seinge it was a notable hauen for their shippes to arriue at in Iudea. After this bothe Agrippas and Castius led their army towardes Ieru­salem to warre vpon the Rebels, and vtterly to destroy them. Eleasar and o­ther priests with much people hearing this, they issued out against them, and found them encamped in the waye be­twene Ierusalem and Iapho, but after they had ioyned their battail, many of the Iewes were slain bi the Romains [Page]the residue Castius and Agrippas put to flight, & pursued the chase vnto y^e gates of Ierusalem, besieged also the city for the space of thre daies. The fourth day the priestes and the people issued oute sodenlye, vnwares to the Romaines, set vpon their campe, and slue .v. thou­sand fote men, and one thousand hor [...] ­men. Castius seinge that nether be nor his coulde wel escape, he chose oute .xl. thousand of his best souldioures & pla­ced them betwixte his campe and the priestes, commaunding them to stande al the night soundinge their trompets and making of fires, that he & Agrip­pas might escape, and that they should not remoue oute of their place till the morowe. The Iewes harkeninge to the sound of the trompets, and musing what it should meane, pursued not the Romaines: but perceiuing in the mor­ninge that they were departed toward Cesaria thre daies iourney of, Eleasar with the people folowed: and in the waye founde their baggage strawed, that the Romaines had cast from them [Page lxxxvi]to runne the lightlier and escape the easilier: whiche they let lie and pursu­ed them to the gates of Cesaria. But Castius and Agrippas gate safe within the towne, and from thence went both together to Rome, where they decla­red vnto Nero the Emperoure, howe they sped at Ierusalem. And as they were makinge relation of this vnto the Emperoure. There came also a poste oute of Perfia with tidinges that the kinge of Persia was reuelted from the Romaines Empire, these thinges troubled the Emperoure sore, to se al­moste all fall from him, that heretofore hadde obeyed the Empire of the Ro­maines.

AT the same time retourned Vas­pasianus, captaine of the hoste that Nero had sente into the West partes, as Germauie, Britaine and Spaine, whiche landes he hadde subdued and broughte vnder the subiection of Ne­ro. To him Nero declared what [Page]mischief the priestes had wrought to y^e Romaine hoste in Iudea, how they had slaine the Romaines, and so for the all the tale that Agrippa and Castius had told him, which displeased Vaspasian very greatly. After this Nero set Vas­pasian captaine and his sonne Titus to reueng the Romaines vpon the Per­sians and Iewes, geuing in commaū ­dement to race their walled townes, to beate downe what so euer they founde without sparing any body, either men or wemen, children or infants, sucking babes or olde folkes, but to slea all. So Vaspasianus and Titus, set forwarde with a chosen and picked armye of the Romains, passed the seas and came to Antiochia. The Iewes hauing intelli­gence of this, chused out of al their cap­taines, thre principal most expert war­riours: of whome I Ioseph prieste that writ this history was one, who by the deuine fauour am valeant in battaile: and Anani the hie prieste, and Eleasar his sonne. To these thre they commit­ted the hole land of Iudea, deuidinge it [Page lxxxvii]to them by lot, and gaue them all fur­niture of warre. One third part ther­fore, (which was hole Galile from the land af Napththaly and beyond) fel to Ioseph the prieste sonne of Gorion to his honoure and glorye, whome for his worthinesse they named also Iosi­phon, because he was then annointed: apointed, & consecrated to the warres. The second lot came forth: by the whi­che fell vnto Anani the hie prieste, the citie of Hierusalem and the countrey a­boute it, with a charge to repaire the walles of the citie, to sustaine the brunt of Vaspasian, if he should come so farre The thirde lot fell to Eleasar the sonne of Anani the priest, to whom was ioy­ned captaine Iehoscua and other Iew­ish captaines. By the vertue of this lot fell to them the whole lande of Edom from Elath vnto the redde sea. The rest of the land from Iericho to Euphrates, with that also that is beyond the riuer and all the lande of Mesopotamia, fell to captaine Menasches lotte. To other Princes also of Iudea and to the wor­thiest [Page]priestes, they committed the fen­sed cities from the frontiers and boun­des of Hierusalem vnto Egipt. Vaspa­sian taking his iourney with his hoste frō Antiochia, came & pitched his tētes in Aram Zofa. For he had deuised and determined thus with his counsel: first to inuade Galile, and after to try what they could do in Ivdea. Ioseph the sōne of Gorion hauing intelligence of thys: his purpose, departed from Ierusalem to Galile, built vp the townes y^t were destroied & repaired their wals, gates barres & palaces. Ordeined captaines ouer the people to lead & gouern them, some of thousandes, some of hundreds, tribunes and Decurians. He instruc­ted the people also in feates of warres what the soundes of trompettes signi­fied, what sound serued to fal in aray, what to gather the souldioures together, and what to deuide them, and af­ter he had instructed them, the discipl [...] and feates of warre, he spake vnto thē in this wife. Ye shal vnderstand (deare [Page lxxxviii]lites) that ye go to fight at this present, againstyour enemies. Wherfore let no effeminate feare ouercome your harts, nor dismaye your selues at the sight of your ennemies, but play the men and take a good courage vnto you to fight for your cities, for your countrye, and for your selues. Be not afraid of death but rather be stoute in the defence of your countrye that ye be not led away from it, and to fighte for the sanctuary of the Lorde, that it be not steined and polluted with thunclennesse of y^e gen­tiles. Consider that it is better to die in battaile then to liue in captiuitye and bondage. Therefore when as ye shall come to ioyne with your ennemies, and shall see anye of theym beaten downe and attempte to rise againe, who soeuer of you is by and seeth him, remember the zeale of your GOD, wherewith it becommeth you to re­uenge his quarell, and beinge moned therewith, strike him that he neuer rise agaiene.

But if you shal se any of your selowes downe, being enkindled with the zeale of your God, rescue him from the han­des of the enemies: and if he be not yet slaine, cure him. If he be dead: ye shall do what ye can to burie him in the Is­raelites burial. And so if we shal chuse rather to die then to liue, we shall pro­spere in our warres, we shal die for the couenaunt of our God, and deliuer our soules, bringinge them to the light of life in heauen. After he had said this, he chose out of the Iewes .ix. thousand fotemen, and but fewe horsemen. And out of these he chose .vi. hundred of the beste, suche as one of them woulde not shrinke from ten, ten from an hundred, a hundred from a thousande, a thousād from ten thousand. With them Ioseph went to the cities of Agrippas y^t were in Iehudea to winne them. For Agrip­pas stucke to the Romaines were it right or wronge with al the power he could make. He went firste to Tiarua a greate citie that belonged to Agrippa, where as both his treasure and muni­cion [Page lxxxix]of warre was. Whē he came the [...] ther, he spake to the people vppon the walles and offered them peace, on con­dicion that they should open the gates and deliuer vnto him all the treasure of Agrippas and all his iewels: Thus if they would do, he then would spare them and flea none of them. Were it not better for you (saith he) to take part with them that defende the sanctuary of God & his inheritance, then to ioyne your ayde with Agrippas, which is cō ­federate with our enemies and assay­leth vs, augmenting the power of thē that hats vs, so that he refuseth not to fight against the sanctuary of the lord, and the people of his inheritaunce. The men of the toune condescending to Io­seph, openeth the gates and he [...]niring the toune, made peace with them, and they deliuered him al the kinges trea­sures, for they liked Iosephs woordes & consented to take such part as he toke. At that time came newes vnto Ioseph that troubled him sore: namely that Tiberias had rebelled & were reuolted [Page]from the people that dwelt at Hierusa­lem and were chaunged from his lot, to become Vaspasianus subiectes, who had set a Romaine captaine ouer thē. For reformation wherof, he left his ar­mie at Tiarua, and toke those six hun­dreth yong men with him to Tiberias, commyng vpon it sodeinly and at vn­wares. And as he stode vpō the bankes of Genosar, he espied y^e nauy of the Ro­maines that laye there at road, to aide Vaspasian, whiche Ioseph cōmaunded to be brooken in peaces and to be scat­tered abrode in the sea laake. The mē of Tiberias therefore seinge the shyp­bordes dispersed in that fashion, they conieciured it was done by some of Io­sephs hoste, wherfore the bandes of the Romaines fled to the towne, gate in & shytte the gates. Ioseph notwithstan­ding came to one gate of the citie and [...]tes that the people myght heare, sai­yng: What meaneth this cōspiracie of yours against me? yea, not against me, but rather againste the Lorde God, [Page lxxxx]whose couenaunt ye haue transgressed and brooken the bonde that we made with hym: ye haue also violated your othe that ye sware by the GOD of Is­raell, that we shoulde altogether fyght againste oure enemies, to abate their pryde. The people aunswered from the walles: wee beseche thee oure Lorde heare thy seruauntes speake. God for­bidde we shoulde aide the Romaines, and not rather the people of the Lorde God of Israell and his sanctuary, with the people of his enheritaunce. Howbe it there be amongest vs certain proude mē vngodly persōes, that haue made a league with Vaspasiane, and haue broughte into the towne one of his chieftaynes. Wherefore and it please thee our Lorde to enter the cytie with thy souldiours, come vnto vs that we maye liue with thee, rather then to pearishe in the handes of theim that hate vs. So they opened the gates that Iosephe wente in: and tooke the towne.

Then he caused to apprehende those vngodly persones that were there, a­boute sixe hundred men and laid them in irons, sending thē to Tiarua whiche▪ he had afore taken, the other wicked men that had aided Vaspasian, he put to the sworde. But the chiefe gouernor of the towne he apprehended aliue, ca­ried him out of the city, and commuū ­ded one of his souldioures to cut of his handes forthwith. Then the captaine besought Ioseph, saying. I beseche the my Lorde, let but one of my handes be cut of, and thother to be left me. This sute Ioseph and his souldiours loughe to scorne, iudgeging him to be no vale­aunt man nor of any hautye courage, Yet Ioseph hade his souldiour, to g [...]ue him the sword in his owne hande and let him cut of whither hand he list, and leaue him whiche he will. So the Ro­maine captaine toke the sword and cut of his left hand him self, leauinge him the right, & so was he let go. He came therfore vnto Vaspasians cāpe to shew what shame was done him. After thys [Page ici]the citizens of Zippori rebelled also, making a league with Vaspasian and the Romaines host, Ioseph being certified of this, made thither with his hole host to besege it, but the town abid y^e brunt of the assaulte, that Ioseph coulde pre­uaile nothing against it. Wherfore he besieged it a long season.

ABout that time it was signified also to thē of Ierusalē, y^t the Askelo­nites had entred in frendship with the Romaines. They sente therfore Neger the Edomite & Schiloch the Babilonian, & Iehochanon with a power of the cō ­mō people, these came to Askalon & be seged it a great space. Within y^e town was a Romain captain called Antoni­us, a valeant man & a good warriour, he vpon a certain night in y^e morning watch issued out of the town with his companye to geue a camisado to the Iewes that besieged the town: entred their campe and made a great slaugh­ter, continuing the same i [...]l it was day lighte, so that aboute ten thousand of the Iewes were slaine. The reaste ne­uer [Page]moued out of their place, saying, it is better for vs to die in this battayle, then to flie from our enemies: therfore they toke a good heart vnto them, and stode manfullye in their stations and places, trustinge in the Lorde God of Israell. And when it was daye they also sette them selues in araye againste Antony, slue manye of his menne, not withoute losse also of their own parte, for Schiloch the Babilonian and Ieho­chanan of Ierusalem were bothe slain by the Romaines, with other also of the Iewes, to the noumber of eyghte thousande fightingmen, that were vn­der Schiloh and Iehochanan. And ne­uer a one of the Iewishe captaines es­caped that conflicte saue onlye Neger the Edomite, whiche hid him self in a certaine sepulchre that was there in the plaine, whome the Romaines in their pursuts soughte, but founde him not. Wherefore they set afire the wod that it burnte rounde aboute the se­pulchre wherein he laye hid, and con­sumed all the trees, shrubs and bushes, [Page xcii]but came not nie the sepulchre: for Neger had called vnto y^e Lord with his hole hart, to deliuer him this once from his enemies, lest he should be shamful­ly handled of thē, promising at another time to be ready to die valeantly in his quarel. So Neger escaped y^e Romaines by the helpe of the God of Israell, in whome he put his truste. Shortlye af­ter sente the Ierosolimites muche peo­ple to Askalona, to the n [...]mber of .xviii thousand good men of war, to buri the body of the Iewes y^t were there slaine in the cōflictes by Antoni: they sought also the bodye of Neger the Edomite, but they founde it not, til at lengthe he cried vnto them oute of the sepulchre, sayinge: I am here: for God hathe de­liuered me oute of the handes of mine ennemies, to the intente I maye yet be auenged of them in the warres of the LORDE. So Negar declared vnto them at large all thinges howe they chaunced vnto him. Wherefore the Iewes reioysed wonderfu [...]lye, that [Page]that they had found him aliue, that he was saued by such a miracle & that the Lord had deliuered him: Therfore thei put their confidence in the Lord, bele­uing that God wold be presente with them to aide them, wherof this deliue­rance of Neger they toke for a sure sign and token. The Romaines kept them within the towne, for feare of the mul­titude of the Iewes that were come to bury the bodies. So the Iewes buried all the bodies of their owne parte that wer slain in bothe battails, for the Ro­maines were not able to prohibit and let them, but helde them in the towne. And whē the burial was finished, they toke Neger with them to Ierusalem, to geue God thankes there, for his de­liueraunce at that present. Thē Ioseph the priest gathered his strengthe and came vpō Askalon with his hole army, assaulted them, gate thupper hand and wan the towne: after slue Antony and al his people, with the sword that of al the valeante men of warre that were with him, not one escaped. Besides [Page iciii]this, all the villages and hamlets that were there aboute without the towne, he burnt them euery one. And in like maner serued he all the townes & vil­lages there aboute that had entred in league with the Romains, fleaing both Iewes and Romaines that dwelte in them with the sworde, as manye as be founde: and their houses he brente. This done, Ioseph returned again to Zippori, sought with them & gate the vpper hande: there shed he much bloud of the people that had conspired with the Romaines, vtterlye destroyed thē, burnt also their cities and villages, led their wiues and children prisoners a­waye to Ierusalem, and what Ro­maines so euer he founde there, hee slue them with the sworde. Whan as Vaspasian and Titus his sonne hearde of all that Iosephe had wroughte a­gainste the Romaines, bothe howe he slue their garisones as manye as he coulde finde in Galile, and also all the Iewes that hadde made anye league with him and his sonne, they were [Page]wonderfull wrothe, and in a greate rage. They toke therfore their iourny, & came to Apitelma, otherwise called Acho, where as at that present Agrip­pas kinge of Iudea was abidinge and fortye thousande menne with him: all good menne of warre and archers e­uerye one: these ioyned them selues with Vaspasians armye, by whyche meanes the Romaines campe became verye huge. Moreouer, oute of other nations, rounde aboute Iudea, good menne of warre withoute noumber, ioyned with Vaspasian. He had aid al­so of all the best menne of warre, oute of Mesopotamia, Aram, Zofa, Assur, Sinear, Persia, Chaldea, Macedonia, and oute of the prouinces of the peo­ple of the East, yea, the people of Miz­raim, Lob, Dedam and Seba with all prouinces farre and neare, that were from vnder the subiection of the Iews, caste of the yoke from their necks, and rebelled against the dominion of Ie­rusalem, ioyning their power with the [Page xciiii]Romaine armye to ayde Vaspasian and Titus. For these were afore sub­iectes vnto the Iewes, that sore hadde burthened thē, wherefore they came to aide the Romaines and to inuade Ie­rusalem and the people of the Iewes. But the Edomites had not yet asso­ciate them selues with Vaspasian and Titus, for they were in subiection to the Iewes and serued them. So that not one of them aided the Romaines. For longe before, they hadde moued warre againste Ierusalem, and coulde not gette the victorye, but the Iewes preuailed againste them and subdued them, Hircanus also the fyrste kinge of the Iewes circumcised them. They dwelte also in Ierusalem, kept watche and warde aboute the house of the Lorde, and his couenaunte, withoute all rebellion againste the Iewes and Ierosolimites. And at that present was thirtye thousande of the best of the E­domites, to keepe the walles of Ieru­salem, and the house of the Lorde. [Page]After this, Vaspasian and Titus with all their hoste, toke their iourney from Acho and came to Galile, and in the moūt they pitched their tentes. Wher­of when tidinges was brought to Io­seph, howe the hoste of the Romaines lay vpon the moūt of Galile, and howe Vaspasian had sent afore him a greate power to repayre the broaken waies, to fyll the hooles and caste downe the hilles, to leuel the waye that his people might passe the better, for he was sore moued against y^e Iewes. Ioseph issued out of zipporie with al his power, sette vpon them, and flewe them with the sworde, takynge suche vengeaunce of them as neuer was the lyke afore: for his God was with him. Vaspasian and Titus hearing of this, determined to set vpon Ioseph at vnwares, and to be­set all the wayes that he should escape of no syde. But Ioseph had intelligence of their commynge, wherefore he lefte zipporie and went to Tiberia: whether Vaspasian folowed with his hoste. Ioseph perceiuing them comming, fled [Page icv]from thence to Iorpata, the biggest city in al Galile, closed vp the gates, & there remained with his armie.

THen sent Vaspasian certaine noble men in embassage vnto Ioseph, to debate the matter with hym in this wyse. Vaspasian generall of the Ro­maine armie, desyreth to know what it should auaile the to be thus pend vp within a walled toun: he willes the ra­ther to come forth to entreate of peace with him, & enter in a league together, for it shalbe for thy auaile to serue Cae­sar, emperour of the Romaines y^e thou maiest liue and not be destroied nor yet any of the people with the. Then Io­seph sent embassadours againe to Vas­pasian, demaunding treuce for a fewe daies, that he might cōmen of the mat­ter with the people and let them vnderstande his wordes: peraduenture (saith he:) they wilbe perswaded to make peace with thee, and then wyll we en­ter in league with the Romaine em­pire. So Vaspasian ceassed from figh­ting [Page]againste Ioseph, permittinge him space to deliberate of the thinge. Vp­on that Ioseph sente Embassadoures to all the people at Ierusalem, to the priestes, chiefe men, rulers and to the reaste of the people, lettinge them to witte this. Ye shall vnderstande bre­thren and frendes, that Vaspasian ge­nerall of the Romaines sente his Em­bassadoures vnto me, inquiring what it shuld auaile vs to be so stiffe against them▪ and not rather to com forth and to entreate of peace and to ioyne in league together, that we maye serue the Emperour of the Romaines, so to saue our liues and not to be destroyed. And I pray you why wil ye lose your liues, your wiues, your sōnes & dough­ters? why wil ye all fal together vpon the sword, that bothe they, that shalbe left aliue among you, shalbe led captiue oute of your countrye to a people that ye neuer knewe, whose language ye vnderstande not: and your countrye to be made desolate, your sanctuarye laide waste, y^t there shal not be so much [Page xcvi]as one man to enter into it. Neuer suf­fre this, you that be wise men, but ra­ther receiue my counsell, & come hither to vs, that we may deliberat together, what conditiōs of peace we shal make, for the sauegard of your liues, rather then to be destroyed and that ye maye vse the cōmodities of your country, be at reaste and peace therin. For life and quietnes is to be preferred before death and banishmente. The inhabitantes therefore of Ierusalem, bothe priestes, chief men, rulers, and all the noble mē of Iudea with the reaste of the people sente vnto Ioseph, sayinge. Take hede to thy self, that thou neuer consent vn­to this, to receiue conditions of peace with them: but be stronge and bolde to fighte vntill suche time as thou shalt consume them, or till thou and all the people die in battaile, and so shalt thou fighte the fightes of the Lorde for his people and his sanctuarye, with the cities of oure God: In the meane sea­son, be as be maye, so thy power be not with them. [Page]When Ioseph hearde the determina­tion of the people of Hierusalem, howe all sortes with one consent willed by the embassadours the continuaunce of the warres, he was wonderful wroth, and in a great fury he issued out with all his people, and set them in aray a­gainste Vaspasian and the Romaine hoste, in whiche conflicte were stayne very many of the Iewes. And from y^e day forward Vaspasian began earnest­ly and fearcely to warre vpon the Ie­wes. He departed from thence to the citie Gerarta, a great citie in the higher Galile: beseged it and wan it, raced it & flewe all the people, man woman and childe: oxen, shepe, camelles and asses, leauing nothing alyue. And then he saide: nowe begin I to be reuenged for the Romains, which y^e Iewes murthe­red in the lād of Iuda. Frō thēce he de­parted, & brought his armie to Iorpata, where Ioseph remained. The first day that he entamped aboute Iorpata, he gaue his souldiours meate and drynke plenty, and made them good chere, thē [Page lxcvii]furnished euerye man with weapons. So on the next morrow early, the Ro­maine army gaue a great shoute and beset the city round aboute on euerye side. In this businesse Ioseph stoode vpon a certaine towre, from whence he behelde the huge campe of the Ro­maines, wherefore he sounded forthe a Trumpet, gaue a signe to battaile, issued oute with the hole power of the Iewes that he had with him, and sette vpon the Romaines campe at the fote of the hil, continuinge the fighte from morning vntil night. And when it be­gan to be darke, they ceassed fighting and departed the one sort frō the other, the Iewes into the towne, the Ro­maines to their tentes. In this battail were very manye slaine on bothe par­ties, aswel Iewes as Romaines. The Romaines aduauncinge them selues, proudly and stoutly said, we wil quick­ly vanqueshe this little nation, as we haue subdued all other nations that we haue conquered, that they shall a­noy vs no more: and afterwardes we [Page]shalbe at reaste. The Iewes also on thother side encouraged them selues a­gainst the Romaines, sayinge: At this time we will all die together for the zeale of the sanctuary of our God, and neuer suffer these vncleane persones to pollute it: and when we haue once de­stroied them, we shalbe quiet. So what for the pride of the Romaines of thone side and the stubbornnes of the Ie wes on thother, much people was slaine in that fight, for it cōtinued til the seconde third and fourth day. In this while all the Iewes that dwelt aboute Iorpata, fled to Vaspasians campe and ioyned them selues to the Romaines to aide them. And euer as Ioseph skirmished with Vaspasian without the city, Vas­pasian sente a power to assaulte the citye. So Ioseph and his men foughte with Vaspasian without the towne, & the Iewes that were within the town defended the walles against the routes of the Romaines, that was a smal host made oute of the maine armye. But the Iewes that weee lefte within the [Page xcviii]towne, began to deminishe euery day, vntil very fewe were lefte. The hardi­est also of Iosephes souldiours and the worthiest yong men that fought with out were all slaine, a very few except, with whome Ioseph fled and escaped into the towne, shuttinge the gates af­ter him. But as Vaspasian with all his armye besieged Iorpata a longe while, he espied at lengthe a conduite with­oute that ranne into the citye, whereof the citezens dronke, because the water thereof was good and swete, he deri­ued the waters thereof besides the towne, that it could no more come in­to the citye, whereby the inhabitantes of the city were destitute of beuerage, hauinge nothinge lefte them but wel waters. Ioseph therefore perceiuinge y^t the conduit water wherof they were alwaies accustomed to drinke, was ta­ken away, conceiued with him selfe. Now wil the Romaines bragge and boast against vs, & thinke to take vs at their pleasure, whiles we haue no water but shalbe cōstreined to die for thirst.

He toke therfore garmentes, and dip­ped them in the wel waters that were in the towne & hanged them here and there ouer the walles, to declare vnto the Romains that they had water plē ­ty in the towne, leaste they should con­ceiue anye hope of swift winninge the towne, thinking they had no waters. Then commaunded Vaspasian a moūt to be raised [...]ie to the towne side, to plant an iron Ram vpon, to batter the walles with, and beate them downe. The maner of the makinge of an iron Ram, is thus. Firste they take a great long thicke beame, vpon the fore part wherof they put a great strong heade, made like vnto a Rams heade, wish hornes al of principall streng iron, the weight therof is as much as halfe the beame, and couereth the beame also to the middes. Then fasten they into the groūd ouer against the place that they entend to batter, two greate trees like mastes of shipps, betwene which, they hāg the beme y^t is called the ram with very strong ropes made of hempe, the [Page xcix]best that may be gottē, and fron wyre twisted together. At the hynder part of this beame from the wall warde, are ringes of iron surely fastened, with ropes made of hempe and wire tied to them: that whē the assaulters wil bat­ter the walles, they pushe forwarde the beame as though it were a speare, and fasten his strong hornes amongest the stones. Thē hang they weightes at the ringes in the hinder parte, and muche people a far of take holde of the ropes that come through the ringes behinde, and hale that hinder part of the beame vpon the ground: and by suche meanes they shake the wall that they made it to quake again. Thus in many places they wrest and wrenche out the stones of the building, so that afterwards the wal falles downe. There be also other maner of engins, as an iron ram vpon foure wheles bounde with iron, and fastened with iron nailes. To this they make foure feete as hath a Ramme, or moe as the bignesse of the beames requireth. The biggeste for the moste [Page]parte is of .xxx. cubites longe, and the least of ten. And loke how many [...]eete the Ramme hath, so mani wheles hath it also. For euery where hath his foote by him, and when they will batter a wall, certaine men appointed therunto draw it first a good way of, thē a great multitude of men take hold of the hin­derpart therof, by foure porters or lea­uers of wodde that are put therin, and with all their sway shoue forward the Ramme to strike the wal that they wil batter. The head of this yron Ramme that goeth vpon wheles hath no horns but is blunt, made of the strōgest kinde of yron, wyth a wonderful thicke neck. They haue also vpon hoth sides of the engyne, a Pentase of wodde for the sauegarde of them that shoue forth the Ramme behynde from the arrowes or stones of them that are vpon the wals.

The Rammes that Titus vsed at Ierusalem, for the mooste parte, ran all vppon wheeles. Of the other forte, he had only two, as we shall declare in [Page c]his place. The beame of this Ramme that we euen nowe described, was as as thick as .x. men could fadō: y^e length thereof, was fifrye cubites. It was al­so holow within and filled with Ore hides, folded and sowed together. The woode serued for none other purpose, then that the fashion of the Leithar mighte be sette vpon the ground. The hinder parte of the beame was coue­red ouer with iron plates. The leather was put within that the beame should not breake with the poise of y^e weights that were hanged by the ringes be­hinde, when as menne appointed for the purpose, haled at the ropes to draw backe the beame.

The woode therefore that wente aboute the leather serued to keepe the leather in facion. In that they couered it with iron plate, y^t they did least they that kept the wals should set it on fire. The bornes that were vpon the heade of the Ram, were as manye as they [Page]listed, but neuer fewer then ten, & then the beame was .xx. cubites longe: nor also moe then. l. and then the beame was a hundred cubites in lengthe. Betwixt euery horne was the space of a cubite, and euery horne was as thick as a man could fadom, the length was one cubite and a halfe at the least. The wodden walle or pentase was as long as the leather that was put within the beame, and it was set on bothe the sydes towarde the hinder parts of the beame, to defende the men that labou­red to batter the walles, lest thei shold be hurte with arrowes or dartes. The Ramme that Vaspasian vsed at Iorpa­ta which he besieged, and me in it, was made in this forte. The length there­of was .l. cubites, it had .xxv. hornes in the heade, whiche was as thicke as ten men: euerye horne also was as thicke as one man, and betwixt euerye horne the space of one cubite. The weight that was hanged on the hinder parts was a thousād & fiue hundred talents, euery talent is about a hundred Troy [Page ci]weight. The men that laboured in the erecting of this engine, were .xv. hun­dred. To remo [...]e it from one place to another, or from one Cit [...]e to another, were appointed an hundred and fiftie yoke of oxen, or els. 300. couple of bor­ses and mules. Whē as thei should as­sault any fortes or cities that stode vpō hilles, then must thei deuide it in parts and bringe it vp to the siege by piece-meele, and there set it together againe. Now when the Romains had battred the walles of Iorpata, and Ioseph per­ceiued the wall to shake: he toke great [...] sackes, filled them full of Chaffe, and hanged them downe by the Walles, that the hornes of the Ramme coulde not come nie the stones of the wall, but light vpon the sacks, which by the rea­sō of their softnes of the chasse, damned the stroke y^t the wal was lesse hurt. For such is y^e nature of soft things, to geu [...] back to y^e hard, & to weakē their force. But Vaspasian seinge the subtiltie of Ioseph: vsed also policie for policie, for he sent into the towne secretely Iewes [Page]spies, which when the batteries should he, might cut asunder the coardes that the sackes were tied to, and with them slipt downe the walles, where the Ro­mains were ready to receiue them that they did not hurt them in the fall, and immediatly they stroke the wall with the ramme. There was at that present in the citie a certaine valeant man na­med Eleasar of the house of Anani the hie prieste that then dwelt at Hierusa­lem. This Eleasar perceiuyng the Ro­mains to go about to batter downe the walles as [...]hey did before, plucked out of the wall a mightye stone, so that hee made a great hole or gappe, wherat he [...]idde downe the wall, and light stride­linge vppon the engine, made fast an fron cheine to the hornes thereof, and gate vp againe quickelye and nimlye from the beame into the towne wyth the cheyne in his hande, for the walle was not verye hye aboue his heade as he stode vpon the Ramme. Then other tall fellowes tooke holde vppon the cheyne, and fastened it to Pillers and [Page cii]Walles in the Towne, that the Ro­maynes myghte rather hee constray­ned to breake their Ramme then take it awaye from thence. The Prieste Eleasar yet once agayne boldlye wente downe and sate vppon the beame, slue fiftie menne that laboured aboute the Ramme; and the rest he put to flighte: then returned into the Towne, beinge drawen vp againe from the beame by theim that were wythin the Towne, greatlye reioy [...]ynge in his manhode. After that went he vp vpō a hie tower from whence he tūbled downe with a mighty force a great stone and a harde vppon the heade of the Ramme, brake it that bothe a great parte of the heade and the bornes fell vpon the grounde. For the yron that it was couered with all was olde and rustye, so that it was muche wasted and eaten therwyth, the ropes also were olde. After that Eleasar went downe agayne, toke parte of the bead that was broken, and hurled it in­to the toune, the Romains that remai­ [...]ed, either he flue or put to flyght. [Page]The archers shotte at him, & wounded him with fiue arrows, wherfore by the helpe of his felowes vpon the walles, he climed vp, otherwise he had not ben able for the griefe of his wounds. The people then gaue a shout for ioye of the dictory of the worthi priest Eleasar that had slaine the Romaines, and broken their Ramme wherein they put their confidence, & brought part of it into the toune, & fastned it with an iron cheine y^t the Romains could not pull it backe a­gain to them, nor haue thuse of it after warde. Wherfore diuers of the vali­antest citizens of Iorpata armed them selfes y^e day, being stirred with y^e great courage that they had sene in Eleasar, and went down, hewed the beame in­to pieces, brought the poyses with the ringes and two mastes with them in­to the towne: and the same daye died Eleasar with great renowne, as one y^t had sought for the sanctuary of the lord and for his people and countrye of Is­rael, like a faithful seruant and souldi­er of the Lorde: whome all the people [Page ciii]mourned for, buriyng him in y^e town, and honoring him for his deathe, wor­thinesse, and faithfulnesse, appointinge him a worthy memory also for that he had waged battail with the ennemies of the Lorde. The yonge menne of the Iewes seing this, and specially two of them, the one called Nitra, thother Po­lipus, men of wisdome and vnderstan­ding, & therwith expert in the warres being moued with zeale for the god of Israel: opened the gates & issued out a­gainst the Romaines, skirmished with them & slue mani of thē. But at length thei were slain them selues in the skir mishe for the sanctuarie of their God, for Israell, and their countrey. When Ioseph saw the wars to encrease more and more, he issued oute, and made a great slaughter in the Romains tents, burnt the mounte & engines of warre that the Romaines had left, by which meanes the warres wared yet hoater and hoater, in so muche that Iosephus repulsed the Romaines: for when they saw the Iewes so desperatelys geue [Page]their liues for their God and land, they woulde not abide their force. When Vaspasian sawe his menne shrinke he stode vp then, and put them in hearte, exhorting them with faire wordes, and promises, aswell golde and siluer, as meate and drinke, wherewith the Ro­maines allured, foughte with Iosephe that day vnto the Sunne setting, and as the battaile waxed hote, the Iewes woūded Vaspasian with an arrowe in his right legge, which fore dismaies y^e Romaines, when they saw the bloude run down his legge: and that day was a fore fighte betwene the Iewes and the Romaines. Titus seinge his father wounded, fore abashed ranne to him to helpe him, to whome his father saide, how it is my sonne that thou art thus astonied, take harte to thee, and with a courage reuenge thy father of these Iewes that haue now the better hand of vs. So they fought both Titus and Vaspasian withal their hole host y^e day a very sore fight, and many were slain of both partes yea very few were lefte [Page ciiii]on Iosephes part, with whō he returnd into the towne, The nexte day the R [...] ­maines raised a newe mounte in stede of that that Ioseph had brent, and plā ­ted an other iron Ram therupon be­twene two postes accordingly, for Vas­pasian had brought .iiii. of this sortwith him frō Rome, but other battering pe­ces vpō wheles had he with him thir­ti, what more, what lesse, y^e bigger sort were of .xxx. cubites longe, the leaste ten. He broughte also ten engines to hur [...]e greate and weighty stenes with al, which he placed ab [...]ute the walles. The Romaines therefore renued the warres & assaults against the town as thei were wōt afore. But y^e town was now desolate and naked of the stoutest warlike men, for they were al slain in the fightes. Albeit Ioseph remained & a fewe with him, who went euery one & the women also to defend the wals, for there was almost no men lefte, fyt for the warre. Then the Romaines flonge with thengines stones into the towne on euery side, from the mount & [Page]munition. It chaunced that a greate stone hit a woman with childe wyth such a violence, that it passed through her body, and caried the childe with it for the space of halfe a mile. They cast vp and raised yet other munites also, from whence they slinged stones, and another like chaūce happened. A stone came and hit one of Iosephes men of warre, a valeant man, in suche a sort, that it deuided his head from his body, and made it flie a large mile of.

AT the same time one of y^e Romain souldiours, diuised with him selfe howe to strike Ioseph with a venomed arrow, and gate him vnder the walle where Ioseph was, to accomplishe his purpose. But Ioseph espied him and cried vnto him: hold thy hād thou wic­ked felowe, and do not kil me. With that the felow start somwhat aside, be­ing afraid at Iosephs voice: and sodēly the Iewes oute of the towne poured hote oyle vpon him from the wal, that his skin was skalded of, and he ran a­way naked, howlinge and yellinge to [Page cv]the Romaines campe, where he dyed. Vaspasian and his Sonne Titus were fullye determined to continue the as­saulte vntill the .xlviii. daye: notwith­standynge the walles were so hie that they could not winne the towne. Yet at lēgth the men being so spent with­in the towne, and they that remained a liue so weried with toyling, that they were not able anye longer to furnishe their watch vpon the walles: vpon a certaine nighte Vaspasian and Titus skaled the walles at a quarter wher [...] watchmen were lacking, and after thē many other of the Romain souldiours folowed, which went downe on the in side and brake open the greate gate of the towne, wherat entred the hole ar­my of the Romaines. And being with­in the towne, sounded their trompets and shouted vnto battall. The Iewes with the alarme, tumulte, and hurlye burly of the Romaines, awaked out of their slepe and were sore afraied. Not­withstanding euerye man toke him to his weapon, and into the market place [Page]as fast as they might. They had made the market place of the towne so large of purpose, that if anye busines should happen, there might come together the hole city if they would. So lokinge a­bout them they saw the Romaine ar­my entring into the town by the way that came from the greate gate. Then fought thei with y^e Romains, & died euē in the market place where they stode, exhorting one an other, and saiyng: let vs die here fightinge, and neuer suffer our [...]solues to be taken aliue. But Io­seph and fortye men with him, wor­thye menne al, fled out of the towne in to a woode where they founde a cer­taine caue, and hid them selues therin. All the reste of the citizens were slaine in that conflicte: for they woulde not yelde nor commit them selues vnto the Romaines, they trusted them so little. For on a tyme a certayne Iewe be­soughte a Romaine souldioure to saue his life, and the Romaine sware vnto him, sayinge: God deale thus and thus with me if I sl [...]a thee, therefore yelde [Page cvi]and come hither to me. The Iewe re­quired him to geue him his righthand that he might truste him: and the Ro­main retch him his left hād. The Iew beinge dismaied in that greate feare, markte not that it was his left hande. But when the Romain had once hold of him, he kept him fast with that hād, and with his right toke his sword and slue the Iewe that then was naked, hauing cast awaye his weapon vpon trust of the Romaine. When y^e Iewes sawe howe the Romaine regarded not his othe, but slue the Iewe that vpon truste of his promisse and the othe had yealded him selfe vnto him: they deter­mined to dye all together, and neuer to truste the Romaines. Whereuppon they resolued with them selues vtter­lye to die for the holinesse of the Lorde God of Israell. But in so doinge they fie we muche people of the Romaines [...] and farre moe then they had done in anye other battaile. So at the lengthe the Citye was taken. When Vas­pasian hadde knowledge where Io­seph [Page]was become and of his company: he sent Nicanor, Pilerimus, and Gallica­nus with him to Ioseph, to wil him to come forth, and he should haue his life and not be slaine. Then Ioseph deba­ted the matter with them y^t were with him in the den, asking them: what say ye to this? For my part, & ye wil folow my counsell, I thinke best we go oute vnto them: but vpon this conditiō, that they wil make vs a formal assuraunce effectuallye as we shall require them: which done, I doubt not but Vaspasian when we come vnto him, will be ap­peased towardes vs. When those men perceiued Ioseph to be enclined to yeld vnto the Romaines: they saide vnto him. We maruaile at the (Prince Io­seph) thou that waste chosen oute of thousandes of people, and promoted vnto the priesthode and kingedome, to sanctifye and halow the LORDE God of Israell: waste also appointed graund captaine of so huge an hoste, haste seene with thine eyes the shame­ful reproche of thy people, with the dis­pleasures [Page cvii]and damages of thy sheepe: that thou hast yet any desire to liue in this dishonoure. What seest thou that thou wouldest desire to liue for? shoul­dest thou not rather desire deathe then life? Peraduēture thou perswadest thy self, they cal thee to saue thy life, or for thy commodity: but without dout this were a vain perswasion. For they cal thee for none other in tent, then to take thee aliue, & to bragge how they haue ken Ioseph, that was consecrated and addict to the warres, and make that an argument their power prospereth, and is exalted. Now therfore (our dear bro­ther and oure prince) consider that this thei wil do, yea if thei saue thi life. But put the case they put thee to death, wer it not better for y^e to die of thine sword, then of theirs? Yea, if it were for no­thing but for this, it is better forthe to die then to liue: leaste thou shouldest heare their reproches, their vpbrai­dinges, and their quarrellinges. And if they preserue the aliue, neuer thinck, they do i [...] for thy good, but rather for [Page]thine ignominy & shame, whiche is far greuouser then death it self. Wherfore our dear brother and our prince, what cometh in thy minde, that thou pur­posest to liue after that thou hast loste thy people and thy brethren? and to what purpose serueth thi life after thei be gone? Marke and consider diligent­lye what Moyses (of worthy memory) oure master did, howe he spake before God, touchinge the people of Israell. O pardone their sinnes (saithe he) or elsse blot me quite out of thy boke that thou hast written: howe he would not liue after the destruction of his people, although the almighty said vnto him: let me alone that I may wreake mine anger vnon them and consume them. Where is nowe Aaron with thee his brother, that wente betwixte life and deathe, in withstanding the angel that plaged the people, and offered him selfe to die for his people, that y^e plage mighte cease from Israell. Where is kinge Saule and his sonne Iehonathan that fought for the people of God and [Page cxviii]died in the fielde? Coule not Saule haue saued his life and his Sonnes bothe if he hadde bene so disposed? But hee, when he sawe Israell haue the ouer­throwe in the battaile, hadde no desire to liue anye lenger, but chose rather deathe then life, and woulde not be se­perated from his brethren nother in life nor death, as wel hee, as Ionathan his Sonne, those dearlye beloued and moste amiable menne (as the scripture termeth theim.) Why doest thou not remember (our deare Prince) the righ­teousnes of Dauid the anointed of the Lorde, who seinge a moste greuous pe­stilence to rage vppon the people of Is­rael, saied: Let thy hande (O Lorde) I beseche thee be tourned vpon mee and my fathers house. For I am hee that haue sinned, I haue transgressed, as for these thy sheepe, what haue they done? What haue they offended? Where is the holye Lawe smothered and sti­fled in thy hearte? Arte not thou an annoynted Prieste that haste declared and taughte vs the holye Lawe, [Page]wherby we might learne how to loue our Lord God withal our hart, & with al our soul, and withall oure strength? If it be so that the seruice of God, con­sisteth not in this, that we should loue whome he loueth, and die for his cou [...] ­uaunt and sāctuary, together with his seruaunts that be slain for the vnity of the name of the Lord: Wherin stādeth it then? Hast not thou oft times taught and proued vnto vs, howe that euerye man that dieth in warres for the lord, his sanctuary, his people, and his law: he is to be counted in the Lordes lot, & made worthye to goe vnto the greate light, and shal not see euerlasting dark­nesse? Arte not thou that Ioseph the priest, that hast cried so oftē in battail, I am Ioseph the prieste, consecrated to battaile, y^t haue vowed my life, for the people of the Lord his sanctuarye, and his lande? But nowe when thou baste yealded thy selfe vnto them, and they order the dispitfullye, what wilte thou say vnto them, or what amendes canst thou haue at their handes? I put y^e case [Page cix]they cast in thy teeth, & say thy wordes be but lies. How shalt thou auoid that reproche? Arte not thou he that saidst, men shoulde fighte for the people of God, vntil they die in the conflicte, and in so doinge, their deathe shoulde be a raunsome for their sinnes, and that they were sure to go to that great light that is the light of life? Which if it be true, according as thou hast said, whye then wilt thou shun deash, and not fo­lowe thy people that are gone before thee, to that same lighte? Euer hither­to thou hast had the vpper hand, wher so euer thou camste, in so muche that they that hearde of thee, trembled for feare: and nowe wilte thou yelde thy life into captiuity to the Romaines, as a vile slaue? Shall not this thy disho­noure redound also vnto the people of God? Thou that arte a prince, a kinge and priest, wilt thou be bound in chei­nes? Euerye man shall saye, this is he that hathe geuen his souldioures and the reaste of his people to die, but hath [...]ued him selfe, and his owne life. So [Page]when they hadde made an ende of talke, eche manne drew out his sword and came vnto him in the middest of the Caue, sainge: Hearest thou, thou Iosephe oure Prince, if thou wilte be ruled by vs, firste we shall slea thee as a Lorde and a greate Prince: and thou shalte chuse what deathe thou wilt die on, that thou maiest die honourablye. But if thou refuse to dye honestlye: as­sure thy selfe of this, that we will eue­rye manne set vpon thee and slea thee. Ioseph aunswered. In deede I knowe my Brethren that your woordes are iuste and true. For who is so madde to desire to liue in this hurlye burlye? and woulde GOD that hee woulde call my Soule vnto him, and receyue it vnto hym also. For I am not ig­noraunt that it were more expediente for mee to die then to liue, for the great troubles that haue passed through my braynes. But hee knoweth the se­cretes of mannes hearte, and he it is that geueth life vnto menne.

It is God that closeth soules within [Page cx]the bodies, and letteth theim oute a­gaine, bicause he is the liuinge GOD, in whose handes remaine the Soules and Spirites of all liuinge creatures. He hath left with vs a Spirite of life, and closed it vp within oure bodies. What is hee then that will open that that he hath shut? How shall we loose that, that he woulde haue bounde and knitte fast within vs? Dooe ye not al knowe that the life is a thinge that he hath left with vs to kepe, and that wee are his seruauntes? If then we cast a­waye life before that GOD take it, shall he not worthelye bee displeased with vs, and make that we shall not find life in the place of the liuing with Abraham our father of famous me­morye, and wyth other iuste and god­lye menne our forefathers? Dooe you not knowe that they wente not vnto God before they were called, and when they were called they came, and soo dealt GOD with all holye and God­ly men. To Moyses our master of wor­thie memorye, the electe of GOD, ye [Page]knowe that the Lorde God of Israell said: get the vp vppon this mountaine Abarim, and so he did. But he woulde not haue done it of him selfe, had not God called him. Wherby ye may see it is not lawful for a mā to surrendre his life vnto God, excepte he require it a­gaine. Take example (I praye you) of Iob. What time he curst the daye that he was borne in, mighte not he ether haue hanged him self, or haue run vp­pon a knife, or at the least, haue folow­ed his wifes counsel to cursse God and die? Not withstanding he abode paci­ently in most extreme paine, waitinge til God demaunded again his life, and then restored it vnto his Lord god, and would not restore it vndemaunded, but taried till hys appoynted ende came. King Dauid also, of famous memory, saide. Leade thou my life oute of his pinfolde and prison. For he knew that the life was inclosed in the bodye, and that none mighte let it forth but God. I wot wel that death is a greate com­modity, so be that the soule may return [Page cxi]in his due time vnto God, that gaue it vs. I knowe also that he that dieth in the warres of the lord, he shal come to the greate lighte. But I knowe not what can appease gods wrath toward the soul of that man y^t killeth him self, & maketh hast to restore his soul before his time, and withoute the Lordes cal­ling. Wherfore my frendes & brethren, I would ye shoulde knowe it, I am no more cowarde then you: and I do not disagree with you, because I am of a fainte heart for feare of these presente calamities, but that I know I shoulde commit a heinous offence against the Lord if I should kil my self. And howe say ye (you princes) that sticke vnts your God, to you I speake, tel me who shall make intercession vnto God for vs, if we should commit this sinne and eche kil other? Wold not a man iudge him a slaue, a foole, a froward person, a rebel, and a stubburne man, y^t woulde be forced with any misery, to be so ma [...] that because all thinges fall not oute, as he woulde wishe, woulde therefore [Page]hange, or desperatly murther him self with his owne hands? Such ye know the law thus punisheth, their righthād is cut of wherewith they forced them selues to die, then, they are lefte vnbu­ried, as men that haue destroied their owne soules: by what reason then shall we kill oure selues? I woulde wishe that we mighte be slaine of oure ennemies rather then we shoulde so shamefully murther our selues, wher­by euer after we shoulde be taken for manslears, if anye manne flea him selfe, as did Saule whome ye commen­ded: withoute doubte he committeth a heinous crime, and suche a one, as no satisfaction can be made for. Besides that, he shall be reckened fainte hear­ted, and as one that dispaireth of his recouerye. Wherefore our forefathers haue taughte vs. A man oughte not to despaire of his sauegarde and deli­ueraunce: vvhiche commeth of God, no not vvhan the knife is put to his throte to cut it. For kinge Hezekia of famous memory, when he heard these [Page cxii]woordes of Esaye, that worthye pro­phet. Make thy vvil and set thy thinges in a stay, for thou shalt die and not es­cape. Neuerthelesse he fainted not nor ceassed to pray vnto God for the proiō ­ging of his life in this worlde, that he might amende his life, and send a bet­ter soule vnto God. Then the Lorde God of Israel, seing his vnweried and strong hope with his repentaunce▪ suf­fred him to liue .xv. yeares yet longer. But Saul that saw he was not appointed kinge ouer Israel after the Lordes minde, but alonely by the peoples that craued vppon Samuel Geue vs a Kinge to reigne ouer vs: Whereuppon af­terwarde God departed from Saule, for he was not obediente to Goddes will, but wente aboute by force to e­stablishe his kingdome. The Lorde then seynge the wyckednesse of hys hearte, gaue him ouer, and chose him an other to be kynge ouer hys peo­ple, annointinge Dauid hys ser­uaunte, whyles that Saule was yet li­uinge. Whiche Saule perceiuinge [Page]persecutinge Dauid, and laboured with all his endeuoure to destrdy him, because he knew God was with him, and prospered all that he did, whereas contrary al went backward with him. For these causes, I say, he chose rather to die then liue: and would not liue af­ter y^e people of Israel was ouerthrown in y^e moūtains of Gilboa. And in mine opinion, he slue him selfe for nothinge, but for that he was a [...]aint harted co­ward and vtterli dispaired of his saue­garde. For althoughe he saide. Leaste these vncircumcised come and run in throughe, yet if he had bene of a vale­ant courage, he woulde haue standed to his defence vnto the death: perauen­ture God woulde haue deliuered him. But he contrary, al in dispaire procu­red him self and his sonne a shamefull deathe. But ye shall consider this, He was an vnmerciful king, and therfore did G [...]rid him out of the worlde: for he that wil not spare his own life and his sonnes: howe woulde he spare o­ther? And where as ye alledge Aaron [Page cxiii]vnto me, I woulde know of you, why did he put him self betwene the liuing and the deade? was it not because he would turne away the plage from Is­raell? If he had knowen that he him selfe shoulde haue bene stricken there­with: doubtlesse he woulde not haue striuen against the striker, but trusting in the holines of his righteousnesse, he stode before the Aungell to deliuer Is­raell from that miserie. I am not to be compared with Aaron, albeit I am one of his children, and neuer yet in all my life did I shrinke to venter my life in the warres of the Lorde. And nowe I am not determined to kill my selfe, lest I should sinne against God, and spoyle my soule of hope of saluation. I know it well, it were more expedient for me to be slaine of mine enemies, then that I should slea my selfe. And if ye say the word, let vs go forth and sodainely set vpon our enemies to kill and to be kil­led in the battaile of the Lorde, and so shall we do well: peraduenture GOD will geue them into our handes. For [Page]God is able to saue as vvell by a small armie as by a great. Then if you see me to be afrayed of mine enemies sworde▪ ye shal therbi know me to be a dastard, and one that fawneth vppon his ene­mies, and hūteth for their fauour. But you shal see me go afore you, as a vali­ant man should, nor once turn my face from death. But what did ye euer see in me that ye should iudge me fearful? Did ye euer knowe mee to refuse to fight? In the towne of Iorpata I haue euer kept my quarter and warde, and euery daie haue I fought with mine e­nemies, whom I haue not spared but empaired, and that not a little, whiles I defended that little citie. 48. daies a­gainst them. For I thought wyth my selfe, peraduenture I maye driue away the ennemyes of the LORDE out of our Lande, and put theim by Hie­rusalem that they goe not thither, and so haue I foughten with theim tyl all my valeaunt Souldioures be spente, and none lefte but you. I coulde no [Page cxiiii]lenger withstande their force, and I woulde not yelde my self as a Priso­ner vnto them, therfore I sledde hither with you into this Caue. Now there­fore brethren, ye shal vnderstande that death is commodious and good in dede whiche commeth in his time. But it is neither good nor godly for a manne to kill him selfe and his brother, to go afterwarde▪ for that deede into Hell and perdicion. And what other thing can more clearelye set for the a mannes manhode and hautye minde wyth hys hope in GOD, then Pacience, for a manne to suffer pacientlye what so e­uer chaunseth vnto hym, vntyll hys ende come. Beholde the Lyons and other Beastes, howe they are wonte to wythstande their aduersaries that lye in wayte for theim, to the intente they maye saue their lyues. Whose armoure is their Teeth and Clawes, wherewyth neuerthelesse they hurte not theim selues, but vse them against other that assayle theim, til they ether ou [...]rcome, or be ouercommed.

Therefore if a manne wyll wyth his owne handes let foorthe his soule oute of his closure before his tyme, God will not receiue it, neither shall it finde anye reaste, but be destroyed. And whye? Because it is expulsed and thruste out of his place before his time, and before God dooe call it: wherfore it shall wander inconstantlye for euer. Whye then, my deare Brethren and frendes dooe you aduise vs to kill one another, and to expell and banish our Soules from vs, they not called for? Howe can wee put awaye this oppro­brye? Howe can wee make amendes for this synne? Who shall pray and make intercession for vs? And wyth this Ioseph burste oute on weepynge abundauntlye, but they laught him to scorne.

THen Ioseph helde vp his handes to heauen, saiynge: Thou Lorde al­mightye art our father, thou hast sha­pened vs, and by thy great mercye ta­ken vs out of cley: thou art he that lea­dest vs in thy faieth, and the multitude of thy mercies and benignitie towards vs hath not ceassed. And although our sinnes haue seperated vs from thee, yet neuerthelesse we are thy handy worke euery one of vs, and of longe haue ben called thy people. Thou art Lorde o­uer all creatures & soules. Thou doest what thou wilt, and no man dare saye to thee whye doest thou so. Thou arte our father, we are cley, thou hast geuen vs our shape and fashion. Therefore if it please thee to take oure Soules, take them by the handes of thine aun­gels, that wee commit none euyll a­gainste theim. And if these my fel­lowes that be presente with mee wyll not bee partakers of my Prayer: be­holde my life alone, for the whiche I beseche thy benigne Clemency, if it please thee to take it, for thou gauest it [Page]mee, therefore dooe wyth it whatso­euer shal seeme good vnto thee, it is in thy handes, thou lendst it mee, and hast preserued it wythin me. I will not di­stroye it my selfe, or let it out of prison before thou aske for it. For thou know­est that As man can not liue vvithout iudgemēt: so likevvise the same can not die vvithout iudgement. Vnto thee therefore do I lifte vp myne eyes, thou that dwellest in Heauen, to deale mer­cifullye wyth thy seruauntes and with mee, to tourne our heartes that wee consente not vnto thys, to murther our selues. If thou knowe anye amongst them, that entende so wycked an Acte, I beseche thee, O Lorde my GOD, let me finde fauoure in thyne eyes, geue them an hearte to heare holesome counsel, that I may deliuer my self and mine owne life, which I commend in­to thy bandes, that thou wouldest re­ceiue it vnto thee, for in thy hand is the life of euerye liuinge creature. Thus whan Ioseph had finished his praier, he turned him vnto his felowes and [Page cxvii]saluted thē. Then said they, canst thou therfore encline oure mindes, because thou hast pra [...]ed vnto God for thy selfe & for vs? did not we tel y^e erewhile, like as we tel the now, y^e we are determi­ned to die by one means or other, wher fore say thy minde, & tel vs what kinde of death thou wilt ende thy life, for we haue euer knowen the a iust man and a worthy prince, therfore art thou wor­thy to die first. Ioseph perceiuinge that his felowes were vtterlye determined to die, and woulde geue no eare to his perswasions, for he coulde by no rea­sons drawe them to his opinion, he wente subtilty to worke with them, sayinge: Seinge it will be none other­wise brethren, I wil shewe you my de­ [...]ise. Ye are determined to die, ye saye, and that vppon your owne swor [...]es, therefore there is no better waye then to do it by lot, in this wise. Let vs caste lottes amongste oure selues, that we maye be ioyned together by couples: then will we caste lottes, whiche cou­ple shall die firste: after they two shall [Page]cast lottes betwene thē which shal kil hys fellowe: he that remaineth shall chuse him one of the seconde couple to kil him. Likewise the seconde couple shal caste lottes betwene them selues, who shal die firste, and he that is lefte, shal chuse him one of the thirde cou­ple, whome he hathe a fansy to be kil­led of▪ Then they shal trye by lot who shal die firste, who beinge slaine, the other maye chuse him selfe one of the four the couple to kil him, and so on, til al be slaine, that we see not the capti­uitie of oure people. The laste couple that shal remaine, shal do thus, runne one vppon the others sworde, or elsse set them caste lottes betwixte theim selues, and vpon whome it falleth, let him die firste. But for asmuche as we are fortye and one, so that we can not be iustlye ioyned in couples: let vs cast lottes firste of all, and see whiche of vs shal firste be slaine, and when he is once oute of the waye, then lette vs deuide the couples. He that is to [Page cxviii]be staine firste, lette him chuse oute one of the firste couple to be slain of, and when he is deade, the firste couple shall caste lottes, and do as I haue de­uised. Then euery man likt his deuise (which was gods doing, who hard Io­sephes prayer) and saide all with one mouth, we wil do as thou hast deuised and to the it perteineth to deuide the men and to caste the lottes. Ioseph an­swered: but let vs sweare by the name of the lord, that this deuise shal stand, be ratified and perfourmed. Wherun­to they accorded, and sware all by the name of the Lorde, that they woulde haue that deuise to be ratified & kepte, which Ioseph had inuented of casting of lottes. Then Ioseph began to make lottes, who should be thod man: and it light vpon Iehoiada a prieste, sonne of Eliakim a Galilean, which was a vale­ant man, and chiefest in euery counsell next to Ioseph, and the principall per­swader of this wicked fact to kill them selues. After that did he craftely deuide them into couples, so that the lot of his [Page]owne couple came forth last of al, who loked to be saued and trusted in God, be [...]eninge that he woulde deliuer him from this abhominable dede. Then Ie­hoida chose him one of the first couple, who slue him. That done, the first cou­ple cast lottes betwene them, so thone killed his felowe, and chose him one of the second couple to kil him. Thē they of the second couple caste lots betwene them selues in the presence of Ioseph, and thone killed theother, then he that remained, chose him one of the thy: de couple to flea him. And in this manner did they, til there were al slaine & none lefte aliue, but Ioseph and his felowe: who said vnto Ioseph, go to, let vs cast lottes that we may go to our brethren. Ioseph answered him, we wil do so, if thou be so disposed: but first heare me, I praye the, speake a fewe thinges in thine eares, Tel me, haue not these sin­ners rebelled against god, in thus murthering of them selues so shamefully, nether could I by ani meanes diswade them, nor ha [...]e them from this opiniō. [Page cxix]Wherfore shuld we two sinne against God so greuously, & against our own soules, if the lot should so fal y^t I shuid kil thee. I shuld be counted a mās [...]ear & that worthily: & it may so chaūce that I shal escape after thee and saue my life. But if the lot shoulde so fal that thou shouldest flea me, thou shouldest be ta­ken also for a murtherer, and perauen­ture thou shuldest not escape after me, and althoughe thou thinkest yes. Not­withstanding we lose our hope in god, for that we sinne againste oure owne soules. For all these men that thou se­est heare dead, loe, they haue sinned a­gainst their owne soules, dying with­oute discipline and all good order. If thou wilt say, how shal we do for oure othe that we haue sworne. Doste thou not knowe, that. He that breaketh a vvicked othe, do the nothing vvickedly him selfe. For a man is not constrei­ned to performe an othe vnto God, but to the kepinge of his lawes, and bere­upon it is that Dauid saithe. (I haue svvorne and vvil perfourme. For nei­ther [Page]vow nor othe, that is made against the commaundementes of God, can be ratified before God. And that more is, before y^e we sware, oure fathers sware firste, a great while ago at the mounte of Sinai, that they and their children woulde keepe the lawe of the Lorde. Moyses also made a couenaunte with them vpō the same, and not only with thē that then were there, but also with vs. Howe then dare we be so bolde to swcare, to breake the law of our God, and become māquellers, seing it is one of the .x. commaundements expressely. Thou shalt not kil. Wherfore, my bro­ther, thou shalt vnderstande that we nede not be sollititous nor careful for the oth that we haue made, but rather to breake it, for God wil neuer be dis­pleased with vs for that, for I beinge afraide of these wicked persones, that lie nowe he are deade, did inuente this subtil meanes, and way to swear that I mighte saue my life. Thou therfore, my brother, if thou wilte be ruled by mine aduise, thou shalt saue thy life & [Page cxx]mine, and I wil caste no lottes, nor performe the othe that we made. VVhiche is not good in the lavve: if thou wilte not. I wil withstande thee, and fighte with thee, to kill thee and skape my selfe. And with this Ioseph lepte backe and drue oute his sworde, standinge ouer againste him, to see what his felowe woulde answer. His companion hearinge this, sturred nei­ther hande nor foote againste him, but saide: Loe, I am contente, do what thou thinckest good, because thou arte a manne of God. And blessed be the Lorde God of Israel, that bathe not withdrawne his mercye from me, but made me to be in thy lotte, whereby my soule is saued from goinge to helt thy lotte is a iuste lotte For the Lorde vvil not leaue the scourge of sinners, vppon the lotte of the iuste. Muche elsse besides this, spake Iosephes com­panion vnto him, for he was sore a­fraide of him, leaste he shoulde haue killed him if they hadde entermedled [Page]together, for Ioseph was the better man of his hands, and therfore Ioseph chose him into his lot, that he might be able to make his party good with him. In this pointe Ioseph played the wyse mannes parte, for he escaped by this meanes both from the handes of those wicked foles: and also from his felow.

THerfore Ioseph called out of y^e caue to captain Nicanor, and said to him in this wise: Wilte thou promise mee that neither thou nor anye of thy men that be here with thee, or in the Ro­mains campe shal kyll vs, before thou hast brought vs vnto Vaspasian? and l [...]t hym dooe wyth vs as he thynketh good. Nicanor aunswered. So and so deale God with mee, if I fulfyl not thy request, if so be it thou wilt come forthe vnto mee together with the men that thou hast with thee. Ioseph aunswered, I will come forth vnto thee, and so ma­nye moe of vs as be aliue: for so is it come to passe, that some of vs be deade here in the caue, wherefore howe can they come forthe? Then said Nicanor: [Page cxxi]neuer thincke (frend Ioseph) that I am come to deceiue thee: come foorthe and trust in thy Lord God, for thou neadest not to feare. Ioseph said, sweare vnto me this, by the god of Israel, although he be vnknowne vnto thee. Nikano [...] answered, I sweare vnto the by that God that made the world by his wis­dom, that thou nedest not to fear me, but boldly maist come forthe vnto me. So Nikanor made a couenaunte with Ioseph and his felow, co [...]firming and ratifying it in writing after the man­ner of the Romaines: and reatched it into the caue vpon a speare, holding the pointe of the speare in his owne hand. Ioseph toke the writinge, red it and beleued Nicanor: thē came he forth to Nicanor and his felowe with him. When Nicanor sitting vpon his seate of estate that was made him there in the woo [...]e, nie vnto the caue, sawe Io­seph come towardes him: he rise vp & embrasing him kissed him: set him on his righthand, and wept with him a­boundauntly, he honoured his felowe [Page]also, plaringe him betwene Pohrinus and Gallicanus, whom he had at that present with him. Then Nicanor asked hym for the reste of the men that were wyth him, willynge that they shoulde come forth, and he would honour them also, and dooe them no harme. Ioseph declared the whole matter vnto hym, what was become of theim. Nicanor hearing of the pertinacious stubburn­nesse of the Iewes heartes, & their wi [...] ­ked intentes, was wonderfully moued. So then he rose and went from thence with Ioseph and his companion vnto Vaspasian. When the Romaine army sawe Ioseph, they were greatly astoni­ed, and gaue a mightye shoute. Some reioysed that Ioseph was takē, saiyng: This is good lucke, that our eyes shall see oure longe expected desire. Other lamented and let teeres fal from their eyes wyth pensiue heartes, saiynge: Is not this that worthye manne, who made all the Romayne hoste to quake for feare: and whose Fame and re­nowne was knowen throughout all [Page cxxiiii]landes? Howe is it come to passe that so mighty a man is taken in his owne countrey, & amongst his owne people? If this chaunceth vnto suche a manne to be taken in his owne Lande in the middest of his family and frends? How shal we escape in a straunge land. Cer­taine euil disposed persons of the Ro­main souldiers went to Vaspasian and said. Sir, you shal do well to cōmaund this man to be slaine without mercye, that hath ben the distruction of so ma­ny of the people of the Romains. This is the self same, that shot the arow and stroke you in the leg: put him to death and then shal you be sure he shal neuer moue warre more against you. If you do not, ye shal see him one daye againe rayse an armye against vs, and distroy vs. But Iosephe founde frendshippe at Titus Vaspasians sonnes handes, whiche came of the LORDE. Ther­fore when hee hearde those wycked mens wordes that desiered Vaspasian to put Ioseph to death, he laught them [Page]to skorne and taunted theim, saiynge: Will you tell my father what he hath to dooe? Will you geue him so wicked counsell to flea that man that yeldeth him self to vs vpō the trust of our lea [...]e & band of frendship, which you now go about to breake and frustrate? Did not captaine Nicanor in my fathers name & Caesars, with al the Romaines, make a couenant with him? Take hede what you saie. Is it not treason that you go about to breake the Cesarical fidelitie? Moreouer, who can tel whether it may so happen that some of vs be taken by the Iewes, like as Iosephe is prisoner at this present with vs? When Vaspa­sian heard his sonnes wordes, it plea­sed him, and he spared Ioseph, not suf­feryng him to be slaine, but committed him to a certaine capitaine of his, and earied him about with him through the cities together with kinge Agrippa. After this Vaspasian remoued his cāpe to Talmida, which also is called Acho, and from thence he went to Caesaria a great citie. When thei of the citie saw [Page cxxiii] Ioseph, thei cried vnto Vaspasian, kyll him, kyll him, or else he will one daye be an occasion to stirre great Warres against thee. But Vaspasian woulde not heare theim. Tidynges came to Vaspasian that they of Iapho inuaded the Isles that were subiecte vnder hys dominions with a nauie, roauynge to spoile them. Vaspasian therfore com­maunded to laye in wait for them, that they might be met withall. So there was an ambushe laied withoute the towne, and it came to passe, that when the pyrates were gone out a roauyng, Vaspasian entred the towne, and toke it, because their Souldiours were ab­sente. When the Citizins retourned with their Nauie, and sawe the Ro­maines in the Citie, they laboured to arriue and set a lande: but by and by a huge tempest and a mightye storme droue all their Shippes againste the Rockes that were in the Sea shoare, for there was no Hauen for Shippes and there they were loste manye of of them: suche as swamme to Lande, [Page]the Romaines slue them. They that were drowned in the sea and slaine by the Romaines, were in noumber .iiii. thousande good men of warre: besides them were slaine in the town .xl. thou­sand, all Iewes.

THis done, Vaspasian set forth Va­lericus and Taribus two Romain captaines with his sonne Titus, who wente, besieged and wan the townes of defence that were in Galile. And thus did Titus vse them: they that yel­ded vnto him, he saued their liues: and who soeuer withstode him, he slewe. More ouer all the cities that belonged to Agrippas in Galile, he restored them vnto him againe, only Tiarua excepte, which he vtterly raced, and slue all the mankind, specially such as were apt to the warres, sold also their wiues & children. And this was the only city in all Galile, that Titus shewed such rigor & extremity vnto. Vaspasian departinge thence toke his iorny to Gamala, whi­che is a citye vpon the top of a moun­tain. [Page cxxii]The name therof is called Gama­la, of an Hebrue worde Gamal, that signifieth to quite or to do a good turn because it is the best citye that belon­ged to Agrippas, and the inhabitantes thereof were all verye riche. The citye also called Selencia was not farre from it situated, a country replenished with good townes, Gardens, brookes, and all kinde of frutefull trees. Agrippa besoughte Vaspasian, that he woulde not destroye this citye: let me go firste (saithe he) and offer them peace, pera­uēture they will take it, that they may saue their liues from destruction. Vas­pasian was intreated: sayinge vnto him: go and do as thou wilte, for to ho­noure thee, I will do [...]e so muche for thy sake. So Agrippa wente to them, and spake frendlye and peaceablye vn­to them, and they receiued him in lyke manner, but they mente deceite, say­inge. Thou arte oure LORDE and kinge: to whome therefore dothe all that is of anye price to be desired in all Israell belonge, but vnto thee? [Page]therfore come ne [...]e vnto vs and debate the matter with thy seruaunts, Agrip­pas crediting their wordes, came harde to the citye, and as he listened to them that talked with him, one cast a greate stone frō the wal, which light iust be­twene his shoulders, and brake his backe with one of his armes also, with suche violence y^t it stroke him prostrate to the grounde. But his seruauntes stepte to him: toke him vp, and caried him to Vaspasian. Who seinge him so sore hurte, sware he woulde neuer go from thence til he had taken the city & ordered them in like manner as he did Tiarua, to leaue neuer a mā a liue ther in. The Romaine Phisitions did be­stow suche diligence aboute Agrippas that they cured him. Vaspasian in this rage against the Selucians, because thei had wounded the kinge, besieged and assaulted them. The Iewes within y^e towne encouraged one an other, sa [...] ­ing, let vs sticke to it nowe and playe the men, for we haue none other hope to saue our liues, seinge we haue thus [Page cxxv]ordered the king. Certain stout men of thē therfore issued & encountring with the Romaines, made a great slaughter amongst thē. After that the Romains addressed their engines, planted their iron Rammes that they brought with them against the walles, and by that time night came, battred a great parte therof down to thearth, that Vaspasian and much people with him might en­ter at their pleasure. But Vaspasian gaue commaundement to his armye, that they should not enter that nighte into the towne, but stande and cōpasse the walles vntil morow, y^t they might see howe to win it. Notwithstandinge they wold not be ruled by him, but en­tred: then the Iewes came vpon them, drue the stretes with chaines, and clo­sed the waies of the city, entrappinge them in such a sort that they coulde go nother one way nor other: after set vp on them and bette them downe euen there, so that they were all slaine saue a ten men that fled with Vaspasian & a captaine named Butius, one of the [Page]best men of war in all the Romaines army, him the Iewes pursued and slue But Vaspasian & his fled to the moun­taines, that he might be there in saue­garde. And from thence he sent to Ti­tus his sonne that was in Siria, for the Romaine army, that he had sent with him into Persia, whiche Titus led in­to Iewrye.

SHortlye after Vaspasian gathered souldioures and repaired his armye, ioyned with Agrippas companye, and returned to Selencia, wan it & slue them euerye manne leauing none aliue, and afterwards wente to other Cities of Galile and tooke them, seruinge them in like sorte. After that he came to the citye called Nascela, whiche was a walled towne, and of all the townes of defence throughe oute all Galile, none lefte but it. Thus he besieged, because thither were resorted manye cutthrotes and wicked persones with­oute all feare of GOD, suche as were Robbers and rouers of the lande of [Page cxxviii] Iudea. Emongste whome was a cer­taine manne named Iehochanan, lear­ned, wise and prudente, speciallye to do mischiefe, a wittye counselloure, and of suche eloquence that he coulde perswade cunninglye, and disswade menne from that they had purposed. Besides this, he was a murtherer, readye to shedde bloude and to do any mischief: a great robber, and one that euer gaped after other mens goodes. By whiche meanes he was become verye riche, wherefore there resorted vnto him all vaine persones, mansie­ars, rebels and ruffains, like him self, geuynge hym large rewardes, that they mighte be of his fraternitie, his brethren and adherentes: and he to be their heade. Titus was sente to this citye, by his father to offer them com­ditions of peace, whether, whē he was come, he sente his embassadours to the citizens to intreate the peace with thē. Whereunto the Cityzens accorded, and were readye to enter in league with Titus.

When as this wicked Iehochanan perceiued the auncient men of the towne and the heades wolde receiue peace, he commaunded his companions to kepe the walles, to let them from speaking with the Romaines, and that they woulde geue the Romaines their an­swer. So therfore, seditious Iehochanā made answer to the embassadoure of Titus, saying, to morow haue we a so­lempne feast to the Lord God, tell thy master Titus therfore, that he graunte vs truce for two daies, and the thirde day we wil geue him answer. Wher­with Titus was contente and lefte the assaulte for two daies. These thinges were done vpon Whitson euen, which was called the feaste of weakes and haruest. The night afore the third day appointed was come, Iehochanan and his complices, gate them oute of the towne and fled toward Ierusalem, ere Titus knew therof: On the morow he sent his embassadour to demaūd their answer, what they would do They answered, we desire to entre in a league [Page cxxvii]w^t you, for we are yours to do you what pleasure your hart desireth, vpon this condicion that none of the Romaines hurt ether our bodies or goodes, Titus vpon this made peace with them, con­firminge it by writinge sealed, for the better assuraunce therof: So they ope­ned the gates and Titus came into the town with his hole armi, & the Iewes receiued him with great ioy, honoring him very much. Then Titus inquired for Iehochanan and his confederates, the citizens declared vnto him, how he fled by night withal his, towards Ie­rusalem. Titus hearing that, sent after to pursue him: yet they found him not, he had made such spede: Notwithstan­ding many of the people, that wēt out of the town with him that they might escape the daunger, both men wemen children, old and impotent persōs, they enertoke, slue them euery one, and re­turned with a great spoyle. After this Titus wan all the cities in Galile, and set rulers in them. Then Vaspasian dislodged from thence and came to the [Page]mount Tabor, which hath snow vpon it continually: the height therof is .xxx. furlonges, and vpon the top is a plaine of .xxiii. furlong [...] broade. Thither sent Vaspasian one of his Captaines called Palgorus, whiche tooke the mountaine and the towne that stode thereon. But here I will leaue of the historie of the rest of the battails that were fought in other places in the lande of Israel and Galile: and speake no more of them in this boke, for they be almoste innume­rable, and we haue made mencion of them in the historie of the Romains.

VAspasian in the meane season drue n [...]e Ierusalē, for he had pitched his tentes at Cesaria, where he vitailed his army, and paide his souldioures greate wages: wherefore they taried in that city manye daies, for when Vaspasian vnderstode of the ciuill warres in Ie­rusalem, he said vnto his people, let vs make no haste to besege Ierusalem: til [Page cxxxvi]suche time as they haue slaine one an other amongste them selues: and so at length their pride will be pulled down when as they see them selues waste a­waye with ciuil warres, hunger and thurst. For Vaspasian was a wonder­ful wise man in all affaires of warres and his wisdome neuer tourned him to more commoditye then in this de­nise onlye. So he soiourned at Cesaria with his men many daies. The people of Ierusalem made warre vpon Ieho­chanan and his complices, vntill innu­merable of them were destroied, some of them were slain with swordes: some the seditious stickte with shorte dag­gers. For certaine of the sedicious ca­ried short daggers secretly vnder their garmentes, wher with they wold come sodenly vpon an honest and iust man, & thrust him to the hart, that he shold faldown dead in the place without know ledge who stroke him. So by thys meanes, what with swordes in open fraies, & what with daggers secretlye, very manye of the people were flaine: [Page]and far mo that way, then by the Ro­maines: in so much that now very few citizens were lefte aliue. Thus whan Iehochanan had gotten the vpper hād of the city, he made an army out of Ie­rusalem, to go and take the cities that had made peace with Vaspasian, whi­che they sacked and raced to the groūd, and who so euer they founde in them, Romaines or Iewes they flue them. Yea Iehochanan went with them him self, to aid the, spoiling and cariyng a­way al the richesse that they founde in them. They toke also the city Gerara, that stode beyonde Iordane, where as they remained. Then the inhabitants of Ierusalem both priestes, elders and the reast of the people, sēt embassaders to Vaspasian to desire peace with hym, and succoures againste Iehochanan, & his wicked rabble, which dailye in the towne flue very many of the people of God. The citizens also of Gerara sente embassadours vnto Vaspasian, saiyng: If thou wilt be Lord ouer the lande of Iudea, and the citye of Ierusalem, and [Page cxxxvii]desierest to assure the rule thereof, and establishe it vnto thee: thē harken vnto our counsaile, and come vnto vs with­out delaye, to deliuer vs from the han­des of Iehochanan, and the wicked se­dicious persones, that with all their might endeuour to spoile al our goods, and to get the dominion ouer vs, oure wiues, and children, to none other pur­pose, then by that meanes to distroy vs vtterly, that no remnaunt of vs should be left. If so be it thou wilte come and valiauntlye withstande them with thy power, wee will also fight agaynste them within the towne, till they be all flaine, and then thou shalt be our Lord. And that done, thou maiest go to Hie­rusalem without anye impediment or hinderaunce of any man, for they also of that citie desire the same, and would gladlye become Subiectes to the Ro­mains. When as therfore Vaspasian hearde the peticions of the Citizins of Gerara, he tooke his iourney thither to succour them, and deferred to go to Ie­rusalem. But Iehochanan heard of his [Page]That done, he retourned to Cesaria to take muster of his hole army, and pre­pare to go to besiege Ierusalem. But in the meane season came purseuants from Rome and brought him worde y^e Nero the Emperoure was deade, and how that, as he was a huntinge in the country, the fire of the lord came down from heauen, and fel vpon him that he died of it. After whome reigned Galba not one half yeare, for afore it was ful­ly ended: he was slaine by the noble mē of Rome, and Vitellius created in his stede, a fole, yet a sore cruel man, much geuen to drunkennesse, so that he was in all points vnworthy of the Romain empire. The noble men of Rome that were with Vaspasian, hearinge this, greatly disdained at the matter & said. Was there neuer a noble mā of Rome left, to be placed in the Empire, but ye muste chuse a dronken wine souffer? Why did ye not rather elect y^e mighty prince Vaspasian that is here with vs, a sage and wise man, therto also moste valeāt, one that cōquered many cities, [Page cxxxix]and vanquished many nations, & those moste fearce? What puissante kinges hathe he subdued vnder the Romaine empire? howe farre and wide hathe he enlarged the dominiōs of y^e Romains? And now whē as the empire ought to haue bene bestowed vppon Vaspasian or some one like vnto him, and none such could be founde amongst you; ye bestowed it vpō a fole, and a blowbole dronkard, wherein ye haue done verye vndiscretely. Well, thempire of Rome shall haue a better emperour one day, and God saye Amen. Wheruppon the princes that wer there, cast their heads together, and decreed to proclaim Vas­pasian Emperour. Therfore with one consent, they wente vnto Vaspasian & said vnto him. Thou shalt be our head, for the Empire belongeth vnto suche a one: and thou shalt haue the dominion ouer vs. But Vaspasian refused to take it vpon him, and would in no wise con­sent vnto them. Notwithstanding thei compelled him and placed him vpon a throne of maiesty, settinge an imperiall [Page]and far mo that way, then by the Ro­maines: in so much that now very few citizens were lefte aliue. Thus whan Iehochanan had gotten the vpper hād of the city, he made an army out of Ie­rusalem, to go and take the cities that had made peace with Vaspasian, whi­che they sacked and raced to the groūd, and who so euer they founde in them, Romaines or Iewes they slue them. Yea Iehochanan went with them him self, to aid th [...], spoiling and cariyng a­way al the richesse that they founde in them. They toke also the city Gerara, that stode beyonde Iordane, where as they remained. Then the inhabitants of Ierusalem both priestes, elders and the reast of the people, sēt embassaders to Vaspasian to desire peace with hym, and succoures againste Iehochanan, & his wicked rabble, which dailye in the towne flue very many of the people of God. The citizens also of Gerara sente embassadours vnto Vaspasian, saiyng: If thou wilt be Lord ouer the lande of Iudea, and the citye of Ierusalem, and [Page cxxxvii]desierest to assure the rule thereof, and establishe it vnto thee: thē harken vnto our counsaile, and come vnto vs with­out delaye, to deliuer vs from the han­des of Iehochanan, and the wicked se­dicious persones, that with all their might endeuour to spoile al our goods, and to get the dominion ouer vs, oure wiues, and children, to none other pur­pose, then by that meanes to distroy vs vtterly, that no remnaunt of vs should be left. If so be it thou wilte come and daliauntlye withstande them with thy power, wee will also fight agaynste theim within the towne, till they be all slaine, and then thou shalt be our Lord. And that done, thou maiest go to Hie­rusalem without anye impediment or hinderaunce of any man, for they also of that citie desire the same, and would gladlye become Subiectes to the Ro­mains. When as therfore Vaspasian hearde the peticions of the Citizins of Gerara, he tooke his iourney thither to succour them, and deferred to go to Ie­rusalem. But Iehochanan heard of his [Page]comminge, wherefore he slue the chiefe gouernoure of Gerara, & gate him oute of the town with his companions and toke them to their fete, determining to fle into a certaine wode. Vaspasian ha­uinge knowledge thereof, made oute after them, sending one Pologarus, who ouertoke them & made a great slaugh­ter of them. And in his return toward Gerara, vpon Iordane side, he light vp­on muche people going to Ierusalem, that they mighte escape together with the Sedicious. Them Poligorus droue backe vnto the riuer, where he slewe .xiii. thousand of them, the reaste leaped into Iordane and were drowned, to the number of .lxxxxii. thousand men, we­men and childrē, with much cattel that were all drowned together in the ri­uer, in so much that the chanell of Ior­dane so stuffed and stopt with dead bo­dies, the waters rise and ran ouer the banckes here and there into the fieldes and plaines: yet at the length the wa­ters encreased and bare the carcases downe the riuer as farre as the sea of [Page cxxxviii] Sedom, which is the sea of pitch, other wise called the salt sea: & al the bankes of Iordane lay ful of dead bodies. After this Vaspasian toke his iourney from thence & went into the land of Edom, where he wan two stronge cities, the one called Lagarith, the other Cephar, Toch, and slue a ten thousande of the people therof, leading the reaste away into bandage. From thence he disloged and came to a towne called Chamath Gedi, whiche he subdewed: In this ci­tye were wel springes of heat waters, from whence the hoate bathes of Ti­beriah haue their originall. The natu­rall Philosophers and Astronomers of that countri, hold an opinion that these are the heades of all the hoate well springes in that hole countrye, De­partinge from thence, he came to Sa­maria and wanne it. Then repaired he againe all the townes that he had subdued, and made vppe their walles, placinge garisons therein to aide him, what time he should besiege Ierusalē. [Page]That done, he retourned to Cesaria to take muster of his hole army, and pre­pare to go to besiege Ierusalem. But in the meane season came purseuants from Rome and brought him worde y^e Nero the Emperoure was deade, and how that, as he was a huntinge in the country, the fire of the lord came down from heauen, and fel vpon him that he died of it. After whome reigned Galba not one half yeare, for afore it was ful­ly ended: he was slaine by the noble mē of Rome, and Vitellius created in his stede, a fole, yet a sore cruel man, much geuen to drunkennesse, so that he was in all points vnworthy of the Romain empire. The noble men of Rome that were with Vaspasian, hearinge this, greatly disdained at the matter & said. Was there neuer a noble mā of Rome left, to be placed in the Empire, but ye muste chuse a dronken wine souffer? Why did ye not rather elect y^e mighty prince Vaspasian that is here with vs, a sage and wise man, therto also moste valeāt, one that cōquered many cities, [Page cxxxix]and vanquished many nations, & those moste fearce? What puissante kinges hathe he subdued vnder the Romaine empire? howe farre and wide hathe he enlarged the dominiōs of y^e Romains? And now whē as the empire ought to haue bene bestowed vppon Vaspasian or some one like vnto him, and none such could be founde amongst you; ye bestowed it vpō a fole, and a blowbole dronkard, wherein ye haue done verye vndiscretely. Well, thempire of Rome shall haue a better emperour one day, and God saye Amen. Wheruppon the princes that wer there, cast their heads together, and decreed to proclaim Vas­pasian Emperour. Therfore with one consent, they wente vnto Vaspasian & said vnto him. Thou shalt be our head, for the Empire belongeth vnto suche a one: and thou shalt haue the dominion ouer vs. But Vaspasian refused to take it vpon him, and would in no wise con­sent vnto them. Notwithstanding thei compelled him and placed him vpon a throne of maiesty, settinge an imperiall [Page]crowne vppon hys heade: whiche he woulde haue put alwaye, and pulled of wyth his hande, because hee woulde not be Emperoure. Wherefore the Romayne capitaynes drewe out their swordes, and saide: Thou shalte be Emperour and raigne ouer vs, there­fore refuse it not: if thou dooe, thou shalte dye vppon our swordes. Vaspa­sian therefore seinge hym selfe con­strained beynge afrayed of hys lyfe: he was contente to suffer hym selfe to be proclaymed Emperour. Then all the Armye was sworne vnto hym, and he sate vpon the royal seat, as em­perour, and king of kinges.

THE Ciuill Warres at Hieru­salem encreased yet styll, and muche bloude was shedde tho­rowe the wyckednesse of Iehochanan Capitayne of Thieues, a lymme of the Deuyll, and throughe the cut­throate murtherers that were wyth hym, who had all euen sworn the vt­ter destruction of the citye of the Lorde [Page cxl]and the deathes of hys people. There was also an other cutthroate, a noble manne of Iudea at Hierusalem a­boute the same tyme called Schimeon, who begā also to follow Iehochanans manners, in sleainge innocentes, and robbynge and reauing in Hierusalem, for asmuche as Anani the hye Prieste hadde once appointed him Prince and chiefe Capitaine of Hierusalem: and afterwardes findynge hym an enne­mye, banished hym the Citye.

Wherefore Schimeon wente and gate hym a route of Vnthriftes, mur­therers, and thieues, castynge in hys minde and saiynge: Excepte I ioyne my selfe vnto suche good felowes, I shall neuer bee able to be reuenged of Anani and his assistauntes that haue thus bannished mee oute of Hierusa­lem into exyle wrongfullye, vnto my greate dishonoure. Shall I that haue bene in suche estate, now be caste out of my dignitie, and be constrained to wander here and there as a banished manne?

He wente therfore throughe all the ci­ties of Iudea and Galile, causinge to be proclaimed in the stretes and mar­ket places, and sente his letters where he coulde not come him selfe, in this manner and fourme: Who so euer li­steth to be ridde from the bondage of his master, or hathe had anye iniurye in his countrye, or what seruaunte so euer desireth to be sette at libertye, or who so can not abide the rule of his fa­ther or his master, all that be in debte and stande in feare of their creditours, or feare the iudges for sheadinge any innocente bloude, and therfore lurketh solitarilye in woodes or mountaines, if there be anye man that is accused of a­nye notorious crime and in any daun­ger therefore: to be shorte, who so e­uer is disposed to robbe and reaue, to do iniurye and wronge, to haunt hores to steale, to murther, to eat and drinke at other mennes coste, withoute la­boure of his handes: let him resorte to me, and I will deliuer him from the yoake and daunger of the lawes, I [Page cxli]will finde him his fill of booties and spoiles. There assembled vnto hym a­boute twentye thousande men al mur­therers, theues, rebelles, lawlesse per­sones, wicked and sedicious menne. Then began Schimeon also to vexe the Israelites: to tourne all vppe side downe where so euer he came. When the citizens of Ierusalem, the priestes, elders and Anani the hie priest, hearde tidinges of Schimeons dispitefull wic­kednesse, howe he helde on still oppres­singe the people of God, they were ve­rye pensiue and saide: nowe will this felowe more trouble vs than Iehocha­nan, be he neuer so cruel. They consul­ted therefore and agreed secretelye to sende a power against him, that might sodenlye fall vpon him and ouerrunne him: perauenture (saye they) they may flea him or take him aliue, before his wickednesse grow to further inconue­nience, and ioyne him selfe with oure foes, then shall they assaile vs bothe within the towne and without. They made oute therefore agaynste hym a [Page]greate armye of Israelites and Iewes, with Charettes, and horsemenne, and footemenne in greate number, whiche came where his campe laye, and found him in the corne fieldes distroiynge of the graine, pullinge downe of barnes, and burninge all, bothe corne and O­liue trees. Then the Ierosolimites de­uided their armie, and set vppon Schi­meons tentes sodainelye, smote downe his tentes, and made a greate slangh­ter vppon the sedicious. But shortelye after Schimeon gate the vpper hand of the people of GOD, for he came vpon them in the nighte season, and made a soore slaughter amongest them. Then they that remained tooke theim selues to flighte towardes Hierusalem, and Schimeon pursued them killinge them vnto the harde gates of Hierusalem, so that mauye of them were slaine in the waye, and verye fewe escaped. After this Schimeon went and moued warre vpon the Edomites, to subdue them vnto him selfe, whiche before were vn­der [Page cxlii]the dominion of the Hierosoli­mites. And first the came to the Ci­tye Asa, otherwise called Gaza, for it was the firste Citye wythin the bor­ders of Edome, as menne come from Hierusalem. But the Edomites met hym in the fielde in greate noumber, and ioyned wyth hym, but nether part hadde the vyctorye: wherefore at len­gthe they retired bothe. Then was Schimeon in so greate a rage when as he coulde not ouercome these Edo­mites, that he wishte him selfe out of his lyfe. So he ceassed fightynge a whyle, and encamped hym selfe in the borders of the Lande of Edome ryght agaynste it, and there abode, thyn­kynge to sette vppon theim at an o­ther tyme.

And as hee was deuisynge howe to order all thynges, there came vn­th hym an Edomite called Iacob, one of the chiefest menne amongste them, and a warrioure: He hearinge [Page]of Schimeons proclamation, was mo­ned to come and enter in league wyth him & therupon sayd vnto hym. Neuer let it discomfort thee that thou couldest not ouercome the Edomites at the firste battail. If thou wilte be rulled by my counsell thou shalt winne all the cities in the whole lande, and I will deliuer thē into thy handes. Schimeon desired to knowe how: therfore sayde he, let vs here thy counsell, and shewe vs how it may be brought about, and when it is come to passe, then wil we honour thee and rewarde thee accordinglye. Iacob said, geue me the one halfe of thine ar­mie, which I will lead with me into an ambushe: then shalte thou in the mor­nyng betimes set thy men in araye a­gainste the Edomites for a stale, and when thou shalte perceiue them come againste thee: then make as thoughe thou fledst, vntill thou hast staled them out of the towne into the feldes to pur­sue thee. Then will I with my menne come out of our ambushe, and make spede to the gates: where wee shal kill [Page cxliii]the Warders, and fodainely enter the towne, likewise kill all that wee finde there, and set vp a flagge vpon a tower of the town. Then▪ when the Edomites shal see that, their heartes wil be done and deade for sorowe: then maiest thou turne again vpon them, and beat them downe at thy pleasure. Or if thou like not this deuise: heare yet another way. I haue bene a captaine amongst theim a longe while, therefore I will returne in the night season into the towne: if the watche examine mee from whence I come, I will tell theim I come from Schimeons campe, whither I went as a spie. Then will I go to the elders of the towne, and will thē to let me haue a companie of the best souldiours: and I wil bringe Schimeon into their han­des, if he sette vppon vs againe. For I haue vewed his campe, and his power, and vnderstande that hee entendes to morow to entermeddle with vs, which thou shalt doe in dede. And when thou seest me to issue against thee: thou shalt set thy staffe in the reste, and come to­wardes [Page]me, then will I take me to flight, and caste a feare in the Edomites hartes that they shall flie also, whiche done thou maist pursue to slea them at thy pleasure: ouercome them and enter the towne. Then that town great Asa once taken, thou shalt quicklye win all the reaste. When Schimeon had harde this, he went and deliberated with his owne counsel: and they likt the last de­uise best: wherfore, that they concluded vpon. So Iacob the Edomite returned by nighte to Asa, and declared to the auncientes of the towne, howe he had bene in Schimeons camp and had vew­ed his army, wherby he had conceiued good hope that he should deliuer Schi­meon into their handes shortlye: The elders therfore made him graund cap­taine and chief of al their men of war, charging euery man in this wise. For somuch as none of you are so expert in the knowledge of warfare, as is Iacob, therfore behoueth it you to folow him in all thinges: if he set forwarde, set ye forwarde: wheras he pitcheth his tent, [Page cxliiii]pitche ye also: if he staye, staye ye: when as he flieth, flie ye: to be short: when he returneth, then returne ye, and go not one heere breadth frō that that he shal commaunde you, neither one way nor other. Vppon the nexte morowe, Schi­meon issued oute of his campe with all his armye, and vppon that assembled Iacob his men, and wente out to mete him. But when they came at the point ready to ioyne, and Schimeon with his companye had charged their stases a­gainste them, by and by Iacob lefte the fielde, tourned his backe and fled, and the chiefe souldioures that were about him fled with him. The reaste of the people see their captaine flie, they [...]oke them selues like wise to flighte, euerye manne: then Schimeon pursuynge, made a greate flaughter of them and wanne the towne, brynginge them vnder his subiectiō. And whan he had sacked the houses of them that were slain of the Edomites, and spoiled their goodes, whiche was verye muche, the [Page] [...] [Page cxliiii] [...] [Page]rest that he toke prisoners and kepte a­liue: he made peace withal, and ioyned thē vnto his own campe. After that he departed from thēce, accompanied with xl. thousande good fightynge men, part Edomites, and parte Iewes, and came to Chebron, whiche he wanne and de­stroted al their graine and corne feldes. Yet afterwards he repaired their wals and suche of theim as were lefte aliue, made peace with Schimeon, who recei­ued them into league with him, & they became his men, and folowed hym in his warres. So he disloged from thence with his whole armye, whiche by the accession of the Chebronites, was now wonderfullye encreased, and determi­ned to go to Hierusalem. And when he came nie the citie, he raunged here and there vpon the fruites that were vpon the grounde, and distroyed their corne. Captaine Iehochanan hauynge intelli­gence of Schimeons commynge to be­siege the Towne, and howe he hadde distroyed the fieldes: thought to haue gone out of Hierusalem and to fyghte [Page cxlv]wyth hym, but he durste not, for hys spyes had tolde him that he should not be able to ouercome him, he hadde so puissaunt an Armye and so well ap­appointed. Yet neuerthelesse he issued out, and laye in an ambushe for Schi­meon. In the meane space by chaunce Schimeons wise (that was fledde out of Hierusalem wyth her menne and wo­men feruauntes towarde her husband, for feare least she shoulde be slayne for her husbandes sake, if she should haue taried at Hierusalem:) passed by where be laye in his ambushe▪ Her he tooke and brought again to Hierusalem, not a little proude of suche a praye: thin­kynge, nowe shall we haue Schimeon at oure pleasure, seinge wee haue hys wyfe our prisoner: he lousth her intire­lye, therefore wyll he dooe for her sake whatsoeuer we will haue him. Thys came to Schimeons eare, who also had taken manye of Iehochanans men, and cut their right hands of, sendyng them so home with shame to Hierusalem to their maister. He sente moreouer Em­bassadoures [Page]to Iehochanan, willinge him to send him his wise in such sorte that she mighte come to him with all that was hers, or if he refused to do it, he should be the extremelyer handeled: for he woulde take the towne or it wer longe: and to Iehochanans shame, cutte of the handes and legges of all them that did inhabite it. Iehochanan hearinge this, was soore afrayed and all they that were wyth hym▪, and therefore they sente hym hys wyse. Wherupon Schimeon kept hym with­out the towne. And as Schimeon plai­ed the tyrant wythout, so likewise did Iehochanan within the towne. For Ie­hochanans souldiours rauished the Is­raelites wiues, and shedde innocente bloude. Shortlye after Schimeon lefte the towne for a space, and returned in­to Edomea: for he hadde woorde that the men of mooste power, and the ri­chest forte of that countrye, rebelled. Wherupon he sacked & spoiled all the townes of Edomea and lefte them no­thing: in so much that he was become [Page cxlvi]very rich, and then returned to Ieru­salem, bringing the Edomites wholly with him, that were mets for the war [...] and manye of the Iewes resorted vn­to him also, and with his power he be­sieged Ierusalē euen at the hard gates. Yet the tirannye of Iehochanan and his complices ceased not, but increased more and more dailye in Ierusalem, in so muche that they taughte the citi­zens of Ierusalem to murther their neighboures, and to commit adultrye with their wiues: by whiche meanes fornication was rife and common in the citye. Yea, manye of the people and youthe, shaued their beardes, let­tinge their heere of their heades grow, and accompaned them selues with we­men, that thereby they mighte exercise their adultery the safer and not be es­pied. Whiche sinne did wonderfullye defile the towne of Ierusalem: and without doubt furthered the desolati­on therof. The gates also of the town were closed vp that no man mighte go in nor oute. Yet, who so wente oute, [Page]fel into the handes of Schimeon, & was slaine, they that taried within, wer cō ­strained to see before their faces, their shame in euery strete and corner. And if any man founde any faulte, he was slaine streight by Iehochanan the most cruel captain of the seditious rebelles. The citizens therfore seinge the tiran­ny of Iehochanan, to be without mea­sure, they assembled altogether, and encountred with Iehochanan, & were slain a wonderfull sort of them in that conflict. And except the Edomites that were fled to Ierusalem for the tiranny of Schimeon had succoured the citizens, the hole people of Ierusalem had benē vtterly destroied and slaine euerye mo­thers sonne by Iehochanan, his power was so greate. Then Anani the hie priest and the other priestes, with the aunciente, faithfull, and sages, and the reaste of the people of Ierusa­lem, seing the wickednes of Iehocha­nan, and that they coulde not suffer it any longer: consulted together to deli­ [...]er vp the town to Schimeon, to bring [Page cxlvii]him in, and make him their kinge, to helpe them againste Iehochanan, whō they toke to be farre more wicked then Schimeon, hoping that it might come to passe, that Schimeon should flea Ie­hochanan at length. They sente there­fore Amittai the priest to Schimeon to bring him into the town. But Schime­on craftily refused it, alledginge what shoulde I come into the towne to you that hate me, and of late banished me your towne. Yet they ceased not so, but sent the same Amittai to him again, to intreat him in the name of al the peo­ple to come, vpon a certain nighte: so he entred into the town with his hole army. Notwithstanding, he was no so­ner within the town, but he brake his promise and league that he had made with the citizens, and whereas he had promised to succour them and aid thē: now he was altered and became their ennemie, ioyning him selfe with Ieho­chanan. And they two rebelles reigned in the city of Ierusalem by course, one one moneth, and an other another: so [Page]where before Schimeons cōmyng, they thought much to bear y^e yoke & oppres­siō of one sedicious persō: now wer thei cōstrayned to hold down their shoulders & bear the yoke of two. Yet w^t in a few daies after ther fel a variance & discord betwene Iehochanan and Schimeon, a­bout Eleasar priest, the sonne of Anani the hye Priest. This Eleasar was the beginner and first sower of sedicion a­mongst the Israeli [...]s, whom Schimeon wold now haue put to death to be wroken of his father that banished him out of Hierusalem: but Iehochanan toke E­leasars part and defended him. For Ele­asar was alwayes Iehochanans frende, & aided him. His father was hie priest, and bare a great rule in Hierusalem, wherfore Eleasar was of great estima­tion and aucthoritie with the elders, so that they durst not reprehend him, and his father also loked negligently vnto him, & let him do what he list, because he had no moe sonnes but him. So he was the first that assembled naughtye persons together, & helde euer on Ieho­chanans [Page cxlviii]side from his first comming to Hierusalem. And for his sake fel deuisi­on and dissention betwene Iehochanan and Schimeon, so that thei became ene­mies, and warred the one vpon th [...]ther euer after, as we shal declare hereafter.

IN this while Vaspasian had sent An­toni and Mankiminus (two noble mē and of his counsel,) to Rome againste Vitellius, that thei might make him out of the way, and then woulde be come to Rome to receiue the imperial crowne there. Those .ii: captains went therfore & raised an army, bi whose aide thei set vpon Vitellius & slew him, not without much ado, for there were slain that day at Rome. 80. M. good mē of war. Whē Vasp. had word y^t he was dispatcht, he made spede to Rome to his coronatiō, deuiding first his army in .ii. parts, wher­of he toke thone w^t him to Rome as a sauegard for him self whatsoeuer shold happen: & the other he left with Titus his son to besiege Ierusalē withal. So departing, he left his son Titus at Alex andria, cōmaūding him to remain there [Page]ill suche time as he should signify vnto him otherwise by his letters, & shewe him what he should do, and that in no wise he should medle with the siege of Ierusalē in y^e mene space. Titus answered, I shal do dear father according vn­to your cōmaundemēt, for to you it be­longeth to cōmaunde, & to me to obey. Vaspasian toke w^t him king Agrappas, & Munabas his son: for he feared left they would rebel, & me Ioseph priest also as prisoner fast boūd in chains, for so had his coūsel moued him, saying: we cānot say the cōtrary, but y^e we haue foūd no sign of rebelliō in Ioseph hitherto, ne­ther thinke we y^t he hath gon about a­ny: but who can tell whan we are gon hence, whither he wil flie to Ierusalē, & help to set thē at vnity and concord: thē they make him their king, & after he be the sorer enemy vnto vs. Besides this you shal haue nede of him in this iour­ney, he being a mā of such greate pru­dēce & wisdo, that whosoeuer foloweth his coūsel, shal brīg his maters to good & fortunate successe. Vaspasian thought [Page cxlix]their coūsel good, and toke me prisoner with him, together with king Agrip­pas & his sōne, albeit they had no irons vpō thē, nether of hād nor fote, but on­ly had their kepers appointed them, y^t they shuld not step aside. And as Vas­pasian drue nie Rome, all the citizens came forth to me [...]e him, & receiued him with great ioy & mighty shouts. Then commaunded he me to be put in prisō, but Agrippas & his sonne he let go at liberty. The nerte daye, assembled all the Senate of Rome to create Vaspa­sian emperour, after the manner of the Romaines: with whōe was Agrippas and his sonne. I also entreated the iay­lor to let me haue kepers with me, and so to bringe me to the place where he should be crowned and created Cesar: which the iaylour graūted me, & went with me him self to the place, & brought me where I mighte see all that was done. Within fewe daies after. Vaspa­sian tooke displeasure with Agrippas vppon the information of certain euill disposed persones that had slaundered [Page]him and perswaded Vaspasian that he went about to rebel, & how he had sent letters to Ierusalem concerninge the same matters. Wherefore Vaspasian put bothe him & his sonne Munabas to death. This befel .iii. yeres and a half, before the destruction of Ierusalem. Moreouer, before this dede, y^e continual sacrifice ceased, for a. M. CC. and nine­tie daies, as it is written in Daniel. Capitu. 12. And from the time that the continual sacrifice shalbe taken avvaye, and abomination shalbe put into deso­lation, a thousand. 290. daies. The same yeare and moneth that Agrippas was put to deathe, God moued the minde of Vaspasian to remember me with his mercy, wherfore he commaūded that I should be fetched out of prisō & brought to his presence. And as I stode in irons before him, Cesar had me welcom and spake comfortably vnto mee, sayinge: Thou knowest well that I haue euer loued thee from the daye I firste sawe thee, and although I haue kept the cō ­tinually in duraunce, do not thincke I [Page cxlx]did it of ani eui [...] wil or malice towards thee, but rather maiste thou perswade thy selfe I did it leaste the Romaine princes shoulde disdaine or enuy thee: & saye. See here this felow, that in our warrs hath endomaged vs so greatly, nowe goeth he checkmate with vs, in as great fauour as we. Let vs kil him and put him oute of the waye. But, my frende Iosephe, be thou of good cheare: I will deliuer thee from these iron bondes, and thou shalt be with me in no worsse case then as one of mi chiefe princes. And I will sende [...]hee into Iewrye to my sonne Titus, to whome thou shalt be as a father and a counselloure. Thou knowest, Titus was be that tooke pitye on thee, and woulde not suffer thee to be putte to deathe. Yea he hathe soundrye times moued me to release thee of thy bōdes and to honoure thee, whiche I haue differred to do, onlye for this cause that I shewed thee. I made him aunswere.

But howe canne I bee quyet or in suretye of my life, as longe as [Page]I am in thy company and thy sonnes, seing Agrippas & his sonne innocently put to death by you? Gaesar answered. Holde thy peace Ioseph, I neuer loked for anye goodnesse of Arippas and hys sonne. Thou knowest not what they had wrought against my maiestie, and how thei wente about to rebell. Thou hast brent their bones with thy hands. Doest thou not know how I honoured him and his sonne in Iewrye, howe I woulde not suffer mine armye to an­noy anye of his Cities? I aunswered. Yes, I knowe it was so, as your ma­iestie saieth. Then saied he, but for all this hath Agrippas requited me again with euill. For what time as the no­bles of Rome in Iewry went about to make me emperour, thinking me som­what more mete to rule thempire then Vitellius: Agrippas persuaded wyth thē that they should not make me Empe­roure, affirmynge that there was no­thinge in me worthye, wherefore they shold promote me to that dignitie. And after when he came to Rome, he wente [Page cxlxi]from one bishop to an other, and cau­sed them go to the hye bishop to accuse me of suche crimes as in my conscience I knewe nothinge at all. By this I perceiued that Agrippas heart was ful of rancour and rebellion, & therefore I iudged him to death. For vvhere as vvickednes is, there it is mete that condigne punishment should not be slackinge. And I put his sonne to death likewise. For the sonne of a traytoure ought not to liue vppon the earth, because that in his hart remaineth the vvorke of his fa­ther, being conceiued and borne of a re­bellious sede. But I haue founde thee alwaies faithful and true, and therfore I commend my sonne to thy wisdome. With this, he commaunded my yrons to be taken away from me, and beinge released and at libertie, he set me hono­rably amongst the Princes and Sena­tours. Then saied I vnto him. Is not this a great dishonour vnto me, that I shoulde be deliuered from my bondes, and neuertheles the Israelites that be with me to be kept in prison still? Now [Page]therefore if I haue founde fauoure in thy sighte, and if thou wilte do any [...] thinge at my sute, loose the bonds like wise of al the rest of the Israelits that be with me: set them at libertye also, and thou shalt be assured that I wil be thy faithfull counselloure, while my life lasteth: and an ennemye to thy foes, to make warre vppon them that assaile thee. Vaspasian graunted Io­sephe his request, and willed them to be let at libertye, as manye as were prisoners with Ioseph. Shortlye after sente he Ioseph to his sonne Titus that abode at that presente at Alexandria in Egipt, to whome he writte concer­ninge Ioseph, in this wise. I send vn­to thee here (my beloued sonne) Ioseph a prince of the Iewes, a manne of ex­perience, trained in warre, in whome is greate wisdome: he shalbe thy father and faithfull counselour, thou shalt not do against his counsel, nether one way nor other, for he is a wise man. Wher­fore thou shalt reuerence and honoure [Page cxlxii]him accordinge as he is worthye, for the Lorde his God is with him, and beleue not rashly anye man that shall defame Ioseph vnto thee. Yea rather put him to deathe streighte waye, that will accuse him: for Ioseph is a faith­full man and a good counselloure: and who so is ruled by his counsell, shall haue prosperous successe in that he go­eth aboute. Therefore when Ioseph shall come vnto thee, after he hathe re­freshed him selfe a fewe daies of the laboures and trauailes of the sea: then shalt thou prepare to take thy iourney againste Ierusalem to besiege it. And if the Iewes receiue the peaceably, and wil submit them selues vnder the Ro­main empire: then beware thou enda­mage them in nothing, but rather re­pair their cities, & let them be fre frō altribute for the space of .ii. yeares: yet of this condition that thrise euery yere they sette a flagge with the armes of the Romaines vppon their wals, that is to say, at their thre solempne feastes, [Page]when as all the Israelites are wonte to resort to Hierusalem, to appeare be­fore the Lorde their God. Moreouer, they shall offer for vs euery feast a sacrifice vpon the most holy alter that is in Hierusalem. And if they refuse to make peace with thee, thou shalt vtterly race their townes, and whosoeuer is left aliue, and escape the sworde: those shalt thou leade away captiue. If so be it they desire to haue Ioseph to be their king; we are content therwith. In any wise remember to be ruled by Iosephs counsaile: he shall be thy father, & thou his sonne. After this Ioseph departed from Rome, and came to Alexandria to Titus, who hearinge of Iosephs ar­riual, was wonderous glad, and al the auncient and wise men with him. For Iosephe was full of the spirite of wise­dome, vnderstandyng, counsaile, vali­auntnes, knowledge, and feare of God. Wherfore he went forth to mete hym accompanied with the captaines of the Romains armye, & receiued him with great honour. Then Ioseph deliuered [Page cliii]to Titus his fathers letters: Whiche Titus hauinge red, saide vnto Ioseph. What so euer my father hathe writ­ten in these letters, I would haue done thē by mine own accord: but now that my father admonisheth me of the same I ought to do it the more. Wherefore remaine here with me and I will be thy sonne, and thou shalt be my father to rule and gouerne me with thy coun­sel. So Ioseph abode with Titus at A­lexandria a hole moneth after he came from Rome. Then consulted they to­gether to go to Ierusalem and besiege it, for Ioseph vnderstode wel inoughe, that this came of the Lorde, and that his vvorde could not be letted nor hin­dered. Titus therfore and Ioseph with him departed from Alexandria withal their army and pitched their tentes at Nicopolis: from thence they came by water to Thanisa: so forthe to Iraclea: and leauinge that, came to Pelisis. From thence they trauailed through the desert to Baale Iouim: after that to Dicron, so to Gaza, next to Askelon, [Page]then to Inboam: after to Iapho: and so to Cesarea. In these iourneis he wan Asam, Askalon & Iapho, withall their townes and castels lying about them.

THe first yeare of the reign of Vas­pasian, December the tenthe moneth and se­nenth daye of the same came Ti­tus with Ioseph and his armye to Ce­saria, a famous citye, built by king He­rod. In this city he soiourned, vntil his hole host were come together, as wel of Romaines as of other natione, that were vnder the dominion of the Ro­maines, and came to aide them in the siege of Ierusalem. Therefore Titus armye was wonderful huge and puis­sant, wherewith he aboade at Cesarea til the could of winter was paste, and the moneth of Af drewe nye. Iulye. The same yeare the ciuil warres grew and encreased in Ierusalem, for the Citi­zens slue one an other, withoute anye truce, reaste or quietnesse: no not in winter, when as warres were wonte to cease; but sommer and winter both, the warres neuer stintted betwene [Page cliiii] Schimeon, Iehochanan and Eleasar. For the Lorde the same yeare had sent amongste them of Ierusalem a tourne sicke spirite of giddinesse that the peo­ple were deuided into .iii. partes, wher­of the first and best folowed Anani the priest, who at y^e time had steined, vnhalowed & suspended his office of priest­hode. An other part folowed seditious Iehochanan: y^e third, most cruel Schime on. So y^t in the midste of Ierusalē was ciuill warres, and withoute, the Ro­maines army made roades from Cesa­ria euen to Ierusalem, by the meanes whereof, no man durste go forthe for feare least he shoulde fal into the enne­mies handes: nor enter into the towne to bring any necessaries thither. Anani being a perfite godlye man and seinge the common weale of Ierusalem, to be gouerned by the plesure of y^e seditious, gaue ouer his third parte that stake to him to Eleasar his sonne, which was y^e first author of sedicion, and he y^e gaue the first occasion, y^t was cause also of al the mischief that befell in Ierusalem, [Page]and in the hole lande of Iudea. For he began a conspiracye againste the Ro­maine garisons, and prouoked Israell to rebel against the Romaines and to lay hands vpon them. Wherfore there assembled vnto Sedicious Eleasar, Ie­hudah, Chezron, Schimeon, & Chiski­ahu yong men of the nobles of Ierusalem: & Eleasar with his companye toke the temple, and the courtes aboute it, appointing of his mē, some to be spies, some to kepe watch & ward aboute the tēple of the lord. But Iehochanan, who because of y^e great resort of people vn­to him, was stronger then Eleasar: he toke the market place and streates, the lower part of the city. Then Schimeon the Ierosolomite toke the highest parte of the town, whereby his men anoyed Iehochanans part fore with slinges and crosse bowes. Betwene these .iii. ther­fore was most cruel battail in Ierusa­lem, for the space of .iiii. daies, without ceasing or any breathing: & euery day very many were slain, so that the blud of the Iewes y^t were slaine, ran euerye [Page clv]where aboūoauntly through the mar­ket place & stretes: yea, euen to the temple of the Lord, like vnto a floude that had come of greate shoures. And vnto the thresholdes of the gates of the tem­ple, the deade bodies ouerwhelmed one an other by heapes, for no man buried them. Iehochanan hauinge the middle part of the town, had Schimeon on the one side him, & Eleasar on thother. But Schimeon had the best place, frō whēce he might anoye bothe Iehochanan and Eleasar. Eleasar did also what he coulde to endomage Schimeon. And Iehocha­nā that was in the midst, encōbred thē both, notwithstanding to litle purpose. For Schimeons company slang stones, and shot at them sore: but when as Ie­hochanans part slange likewise at thē, the stones redounded again vpon them selues. Thus amongst these .iii. the ba­taile was sore, and encreased eueri day, that all men were in greate terroure and feare therof. Then assembled to the temple much people of the priestes and elders, besechinge these inwarde [Page]ennemies, not to pollute and defile the temple with their slaughters, and wer almoste al slain for their laboure. The same daye was slaine the prieste Agani and Iosua a prieste, bothe of the chiefest Priestes, and Sechariahu the mooste faithful Prophet of the Lorde. Then had the continual sacrifice ceased, sire and thirtye dayes: for euer vntill that time was there some good men, or other at Ierusalem that offered alway sacrifice to the Lorde. But nowe when they woulde haue continued it, and the priestes laye the sacrifices vppon the altare, the sedicious woulde runne vpon them & kil them, that the priestes bodies and their cattel, that they wold haue sacrificed, shoulde fal all deade to the grounde together. They that re­sorted also oute of the countrye to Ie­rusalem for deuocions sake, the sediti­ous slue and vtterlye destroyed them that almoste no one of them was lefte aliue. Moreouer, the deade bodies of men laye caste in the temple, and that withoute noumber, treade vnder the [Page clvi]feete. Yea, the deade body of the priest, that was offeringe sacrifice, laye vpon the earthe together with his offering. And whan anye manne woulde offer any sacrifice, straite waye one or other of the sedicious would step to him and & kil him, that the bloud of the sacrifice and sacrificer should be mingled toge­ther. In so muche that the pauemente of the temple, being al of marble, was made so slipperye with the bloude & fat of them that were slaine, that no man could go vpon it without falling. And the priest should not soner lay hand vp on the sacrifice, but he was slaine: and strait an other dead body shuld fal vpō him: straunger and other: they spared none. So thus the deade bodies of the good & bad: clean and vnclean, wicked & vertuous, thefe & true man, laye one vpon an other, and their bloud mixt to­gether in the midst of the temple, with out respect of anye man, what degree or condition so euer he wer of. Wher­fore the fight & slaughter waxt greate both in the towne and in the temple. [Page]For whom soeuer the sedicious ouer­came: they set fire on their houses also, where throughe the fire tooke into the greate mens houses that were nye the temple, and into the store houses, wher­as againste times of necessitie and be­siegynges of the towne: were layed vp in store, corne, wine, and oyle, to the nū ­ber of a thousand and .iiii. hundred store houses, all filde ful of vit [...]ailes. For the Elders and other Godlye menne what time as Vaspasian was in Galile, thei made vp the dores of those garner hou­ses, and laied in victuals into them suf­ficient for .ii. hundred thousand men for xx. yere, and now in this one battail of the sedicious, they were brente euerye one sticke and stone, which was a spe­dye cause of famin and honger in Hie­rusalem. At the same tyme also the se­dicious pulled downe and raced all the faire houses and goodlye buildynges, that there shoulde be no monument of anye noble house left to anye of the ci­tizins of Hierusalem. So this you see at that time the Lorde visited the citi­zins [Page clvii]of Ierusalem, with foure kinde of plagues, sworde, pestilence, hunger & fire: besides this, a fift also was added: the ruin and decay of all beautiful and gorgeous buildings. And wher soeuer a man turned him, there was nothing but desolation, pollucion (namely of the temple and all holye thinges) vproars, without al reast and refuge, no helpe, no succour, but euery corner of Ierusa­lem was ful of howling and yellinge: wailinge and wepinge, sobbinge and sighinge of women and childrē. Here should ye heare the roaring and groa­ning of wounded men, not yet thorow deade: there the mourninge and la­mentacion for the Elders that then were slaine by the sedicious: yonder children crying oute for hunger: to be short, most sorowful oppressiō of them that liued, done by the seditious. Such voices wer made euery wher: that happye and fortunate was he that before this daye died: and vnhappye and in a woful case were all suche as remained aliue to see this daye. Al these thinges [Page]when I Ioseph heard worde of: I tare my bearde with my handes, and cast ashes vpon my head sittynge in greate sorow vpon the ground, be wailing thē miserie and calamitie of Hierusalem.

ANd this lamentation made Ioseph vpon Hierusalem, saiyng: Howe is the holy city layd wast, that was wont to be more happy and more renowmed then all the prouinces vpon the earth. How is the Citie that was heretofore in suche highnesse and dignitie, nowe brought vnder the foote throughe the sinnes of the citizins thereof: whereas sometime was the dwellynge place of the faiethfull, nowe beare rule there such men as prouoke and stirre Gods wrathe agaynst it, and turne it awaye from their God, wastyng it as thieues. In the whiche sometime remained the brightnes of the Godheade, it is nowe become a by woorde and a mockynge stocke to the enemies, replenished with bloud of wounded and slaine men. In stede of mirthe, gladnesse, reioysynge, harpes, and psalteries: is sorow, sigh­hyng, [Page clviii]heart breakes, mournynge and pensifenes commen in place. Euen as heretofore the priestes executed the ser­uice of the Lorde in offering sacrifices: so likewise now sedicious perso [...]s murther Godly and faithfull men. Where was wonte to be the dwellynge place of mooste wyse and prudente menne: nowe is it made a common hostrye of wicked murtherers and thieues. O Lord God of Israell, haue not aungels in tyme paste come downe from hea­uen to earthe to fyghte thy battayles? haue not the floudes of the seas perse­cuted them that persecuted thee? hath not the earth swalowed vp them that dispysed thee? and the wyndes scattred a sunder, that made insurrectyons a­gaynst thee? and thunder from heauen destroyed thyne enymyes and starres haue fought agynste thy fooes? What meanes thys therfore, and how com­meth it to passe that thou hyddeste thy [...]ace from vs? to whom haste thou be­taken the shepe of thy pasture? Loke v­pon vs oure GOD, and behoulde [Page]thy people and enher [...]taunce, that thou broughtest oute of Egipt, with a migh­tie power, and a stronge hande: with wonders and signes, leadinge them vntill this daye in thy faithe: take pi­tye vpon them in thy mercye, and ex­tende not thy wrathe against thy ser­uauntes. Where arte thou Moyses the sonne of Amram? stande vp and se thy people and flocke of shepe, which thou feddest all thy life with thy wisdome: see howe Wolues and Lions teare them: see howe the Israelites are be­come foes of their owne liues & soules: Yea, wasters and destroiers are sprong vp of their owne selues. Beholde the people of God, for whose sake thou lif­tedste vp thy staffe ouer the sea, where­with thou struckest and deuidedst it, y^t it was made drye ground, so that the Israelites passed throughe and escaped their enemies. Remember thy praier, when as in time of famin and lacke of soode, thou obteinedst for them meate from heauen, & at the same time when thei were wery of their liues for thirst, [Page clix]thou broughte [...]t water out of the moste hard rocke. Come forth Aaron, mooste holye prieste of God, that didst put thy self betwene the liuing and the deade, to tourne awaye the plague from Is­rael, and strokest the destroyer, that he should not come nie the liuinge. Arise oute of thy graue thou Phinees, that moued with suche feruencye: didste re­uenge the glory and maiesti of the lord God of Israel. Come and run through these seditious in thy fury, which mur­ther the people of God & his priestes. Awake thou Iosua, that didst throwe down the walles of Iericho, with the sound and shout of thy trompets, that the holy priestes helde in their handes. Come now and se thi people that thou madest to enherit manye nations, & to conquere most puissant kinges, howe they kil one an other, how they furder & helpforwarde the Idolater to rule & haue the dominiō of thy holy lād that thou gauest thy people Israel to enhe­rite. Whye sleapest thou kinge David, awake and come with the sound of thy [Page]Psalterie and harpe, to singe the holy Psalmes. Aske account of thy swete wordes, y^t are ceased from the mouthes of this people, and oute of all mennes mouthes, because of the maliciousnesse thereof. See howe their princes be trans [...]o [...]me [...] into ennemyes and de­stroiers: and do not as thou didst (good kinge Dauid) that diddest geue thine owne life for theirs, saiynge. Let thy hande (O Lord) be tourned against me, and against the house of my father: and do not fall vpon thy people to destroye them. Where arte thou Eliseus? come and see what thou canste do, if thou canste reseue the remnaunte of Israel, and finde them anye gap to scape at. Didst not thou by thy praier bring the power of the Sirians to a towne of de­fence, and preuailedste againste them withoute dinte of sworde or battaile, and broughtest them downe, smitinge them with blindnesse, that they turned their enmity toward Israel into loue? In deede thou waste he that vanqui­shedst the Sirians by thy praier, that [Page clx]they fled for feare of the same. Now [...] therfore ye herdmē of Israell, assemble together & listen with your eares, and heare my wordes that I wil speake in your eares this day. Tel me, what is become of your praier y^e ye haue made for the people of Israel, to desende and turne away from thē al wrath, indig­nation, tribulation, fury, & immissions of euil spirits? Howe is it y^e now ye see not y^e sāctuary turned into a vile sincke of blud? for y^e dead bodies of priestes lie in the midst of it. The holy citye Ieru­salē is become a straung citi, as though the name of the Lorde had neuer bene in it, and the sanctuary of the Lorde is in that case at this present, as thought the deuine Godhead had neuer dwelte therin, for the temple is tourned into a den of theues: a lodginge of sedicious persones, a tabernacle of cruell mur­therers. And who so flieth thither for refuge, there they be slaine: as the se­dicious haue murthered in the mid­dest thereof Anani the hie prieste, and Iosua a prieste also, that were Princes [Page]and chiefe priestes, the most reuerent e­mongest the people of God, whom ere this, kinges and nacions had besought and desyred theyr fauoure: but neuer cast their slain bodies in the middest of the temple. The nobilitie also of Hie­rusalem, the elders of Iuda, and sages of Israell, whose frendshippe kinges and nacions haue sought, and desiered to make peace with: they iye now slain here and there in the middest of Hieru­salem, are meate vnto the foules of the ayre, and beastes of the field, to dogges and Rauens, because there is no man to burie them. These died not for their offences, but because they found faulte with the Israelites when they sinned. Howe are they slaine in thee (O Ieru­salem thou holie citie, renowmed tho­row out the whole earth) all iust mē, all holie menne, whom the sedicious haue gote the vpper hande of, those helhoū ­des and bloudsuckers that haue brou­ght all these mischiefes vppon [...]hee? Howe are are the priestes of the Lorde, and his Prophets slaine amongst those [Page clxi]holy men. For before the holy temple, was the Prophet Sechariahu, that iust and holye man buchered and murthe­red: yea, without al burial, nether was his bloud couered with earthe, but yet stil wandreth about and muttereth in the. The blud of Anani also and Iosua the chiefe Priestes was yet neuer co­uered, which were bothe slaine in thy temple, as men be wont to kil theues: yea the bloud of the godly yonge men, and valeant men that would haue re­uenged them, was shed also by the se­dicious like floudes of water. How are the harts of the people turned so auck­wardly, that they wil heare no admo­nicion of iuste men? But are like vnto blockishe images, that neither see, nor heare, nor yet vnderstand any thinge. All beas [...]es be they neuer so brutish, al plantes, and thinges that growe vpon thearth, withstande them that inuade them to do them iniury, and endeuour to auoid the force of their enemye: but thy children y^e thou kepest within thee, are chaunged into ennemies, and one [Page]brother murthereth an other with the sworde. Where is now thy valeaunt­nes, thou that neuer wouldest how to beare the yoke of the gentils vpon thy shoulders: but hast cast away the bon­dage of the Egiptians, Philistines, Ara­mites, Assirians, Chaldeis, Persians and Medes? Where is the strengthe that God gaue to the Chasmonaites, that with a verye smal companye defended thee, and preuailed againste the huge and puissaunte armye of the Grekes: destroyed the stout souldioures of Ba­bilon: vanquished the mightye armye of the Persians, slue Kamitiarus and Antiochus, and pursued their armies, making great slaughters of them, and filling al places ful of dead carcases of the gentils. They would not be ruled by sinners, but vētred thē selues to die, offring their liues, not for their sonnes and doughters: but for the sanctuarye of the Lord & his temple, leaste it shuld be polluted with the idols of the gen­tils? Wher remaineth now the rod of god, that, holy rod that budded & blosso­med [Page clxii]in the daies of gladnes? Nowe is both the sprigs withered and the rod it self also. The rod of faith is withered, the rod of the kingdom, the rod also of thy people, frō whome the holy law is taken away, nether is ther any man y^e can tel where to draw any waters of y^e heauenly mercy. Alas the merciful mē that haue bene in times paste to their brethrē both aliue & dead: how are they now turned into moste cruel tirantes, & haue mercye of no man? Where is the multitude of their mercies, wherwith they were wōt honorably to bury their dead? Now the corses of their dead bo­dies couer the face of the hole earthe, & there is no body wil vouchsafe to bury thē: yea, they y^e wold, cā not be suffred, but straitwaies cometh other to thē, & kils thē before they can do it, so y^t they also die & lie vnburied, & are strowed a­bout here & there in the fields? Such is the guise in the now a daies, nether y^e father to bury the sōne, nor the sonne the father: the sedicious watch so dili­g [...]tly those that be dead, least any man [Page]should bury them: which if they do, thei are also slaine by them, and lie vnburi­ed them selues. The temple of the lord that is in thee, and was wont to smell swetelye of spices, anointmentes, and perfumes: How is it now choked with carian donge, and most pestilēt stenche of dead bodies & bloud of the woūded? Thy streates are strowed full of deade men, some run throughe with glaues and iauelines, and other dead for hun­ger: yea, they that remaine yet aliue in the citye, are as good as deade also, and maye be taken for no lesse. For they are weary of their liues, because of the pestilente dampe of the deade bodyes, whiche also hathe bene the deathe of manye, and hathe cast many into most daungerous diseases. This may wor­thelye seme to be it that Dauid the an­nointed of the God of Iacob, the plea­saunte and swete musicall Poet of Is­raell, speaketh of: Lorde the gentilles are comen into thine inheritaunce, they haue polluted the tēple of thy holines. And woulde to God it had bene gen­tils [Page]tilles that thou haddest brought vppe, nourished and exalted to do this dede, to rebell and sinne againste thee, and to pollute thus the holye temple that is in thee. For in the maliciousnesse of an ennemye, a manne finedeth the halfe of his comforte: but in the malice of a frende, there is no comforte at all. Yea, the verye children that thou hast bred, broughte vppe, and promoted: the selfe same haue stuffed the tēple of the Lord that is in thee with vnburied carcases, euery manne killinge his neighboure: and the seditious suffringe no man to burye them, but sleainge all that at­tempte to bestowe anye suche benefite vppon the deade, in suche sort, that they fall deade vppon the corses which they woulde haue buried: & by that meanes bothe the corses lie caste oute in the fielde, no better then the carcases of brute beastes that be founde in deserte places. Yea, the iniquitie and crueltie of thy citizens O Ierusalem is grown so farre, that they were not contente, onlye to kil their neighbours: but they [Page]muste also hewe their bodies in pieces, for els they thought thei wer not suffi­cientlye reuenged: althoughe that in so doynge, manye tymes the stenche of the deade toke worthye vengeaunce againe of the liuynge, by castyng him into vncurable diseases. All whiche euils are come vppon thy children be­cause they haue forsaken the lawe of the Lorde, and haue traungressed hys couenaunt that hee made wyth their brethren, because also they haue sin­ned againste the Lorde GOD of their fathers, in sheadinge the bloude of iust menne and innocentes that were in in thee, euen in the temple of the Lord. And therefore are our sorowfull sigh­bynges multiplied, and our wepinge daiely encreased, for that we haue bene the cause of all these euils that are be­fallen vs, and are not yet ended. O Lorde our God, our Sinnes are gone ouer our heades, and the wicked actes that we haue committed in thy sight, are innumerable. The Lorde our God is righteous, it is we that haue rebel­led [Page]against his will, we haue propha­ned and vnhalowed his lawe, we haue broken his couenaunt. And euer the more that his Wrathe enkindleth a­gainste vs: the more haue we trauns­gressed against him. Wherfore to hym belongeth iustice & iudgement, he hath worthelye poured the furye of hys displeasure vppon vs: to vs onelye belongeth shame as wee haue aboun­dauntly at this daie. But he will once turne againe, and haue mercie v­pon vs, vainquishe all oure sinnes, and caste theim all into the deepe bottomes of the sea. So be it.

AFter these thinges, the thirde daye of the firste moneth in the firste yeare of the raygne of Vaspasian, Titus his sōne toke muster of his men in the plaine of Cesaria, to knowe the certain number of theim, which he had [Page]not done afore sence his fathers depar­ture: and he founde them verie manye, in so muche that they almost semed to couer the earth. This done, he toke his iourney from Caesaria with his power, and came to Samaria, where the Citi­zins receiued him with great ioye, and did him much honoure. Wherefore he spared them, and did them no harme. From thence he came Aielona. xxx. furlonges from Hierusalem: there he pitched his tentes, and leauynge them there, toke sixe hundreth horsmen with him, and came to Hierusalem to viewe the towne, to knowe what height the walles were, what strength there was in the towne, speciallye of the sedicious of whom euerie where great rumoure was: finallye, to receiue peaceablye all such as were desierous of peace. So as he came to the wall, he saw no manne nether go out nor in: for the gates wer shut vp, & the sedicious had laied an am bush without y^e toune to trappe Titus, who went somewhat before accompa­nied with a fews, the rest folowynge a [Page clxv]pretye way behinde. Whiles therfore he was in vewing the walles, the sedi­cious issued out of their ambushe that they had layed nye vnto Aielonia, and set vpon the back of Titus men behind. Then issued an other forte out of the towne, so that they had Titus betwene them, and runnynge vpon him, sepera­ted him from his men, and enuironed him on euerye side, where they slue. lx. of his men, and might haue slaine him also, saue that they coueted to take him aliue. Titus seinge him selfe beset, and forsaken of his own men that thought it was impossible for him to escape, per­ceiuyng also that they went not about to kyll him, but to take him aliue: more ouer, that he could in no wise escape ex­cept he woulde make an irruption and runne through their bandes: he toke a good hearte vnto him, and valiauntly brake throughe, sleaynge whomsoeuer came in his waye to laye holde of him, and so escaped. If they had entended to haue slaine him, they might haue done it: but beinge desierous to take him a­liue [Page](as is saied) they absteyned from strikynge him, and so they loste hym. And GOD woulde not deliuer hym into their handes, that by hym hes myght scourge Israel. But the Iewes seinge hym to be thus escaped, repen­ted fore that they hadde not killed him, saiynge one to another: What meant we that we killed hym not whyle wee might? it is yll handeled of vs. Ther­fore they pursued him, hurlinge and shootinge after hym with engines of Warre, but they coulde not ouer take him: for God preserued him, that he [...] might afterwarde deliuer Hierusalem into his hands. So he returned to Aie­lona, and perceiued the heartes of kin­ges to be in the handes of GOD. The nexte morowe brought Titus all hys armie to Hierusalem, determininge to encampe hym selfe vpon the mount Oliuet: wherefore he firste spake vnto his souldiours in this wise. This daye ye go to fyght against a most mightye nation, whose warriers be strong as li­ons, valiant as liberdes, and nimble as [Page clxvi]townes that run in the mountaines, to ouerturne chariots and such as sit vp­pon thē. Now therfore take good harts vnto you, and be couragious: for so it standes you in hande. Dooe not thinke theim to be like the nations that here­tofore ye haue had to do withall. I my self haue experience otherwise of their dalianntnes and sleightes of warre. This saied, he marched in araye moste strongly, that they shold not be scatred asunder, and gaue them charge, speci­allye to the vawarde to take heede of stumbling vppon Welles or Cesterns, whereby they might be hindred, for as yet the daie was scarce broken: and be­sides that, Titus had knowledge howe the Iewes fearing of his comming, had digd secrete trēches & pitfals. Wherfore to auoid thē, he led his host by y^e mount Oliuet, in which place it neuer came in their mindes to digge. Therfore when he came to the mount Oliuet, he encamped there againste Hierusalem, ryght ouer agaynste the Brooke Cedron, that ran betwene the citie and the hyll, [Page]and many times ranne very shalowe. Titus campe was about sixe furlongs from the towne. The next morow thei of the towne seing Titus to be encam­ped vpon the mount Oliuet, the capi­taines of the sedicious with their com­panies assembled together, and fell at agrement euerye man wyth an other, entendynge to turne their crueltye vp­pon the Romains, confirmyng and ra­tifiynge the same attonement and pur­pose, by swearyng one to an other, and so became peace amongst them. Wher­fore ioynyng together that before were three seuerall partes, they set open the Gates, and all the best of them issued out with an horrible noyse and shoute, that they made the Romayns afrayed withall, in suche wise, that they fled be­fore the sedicious, which sodainlye did set vpon them at vnwares. But Titus seinge his men flee, rebuked them sai­inge: Are ye not ashamed of this time­rious cowardnes, when ye are so many and a hundreth for one of thē? What ignominye is it, so manye to be repul­sed [Page clvii]of so few? Wherwithal Titus staied them, and brought theim manfullye to withstand the Iews, so that very many were slayne on bothe sides. But the Romaynes were not able longe to a­bide the force of the Iewes, albeit that Titus wyth his elect and most valeant Souldiours did manfullye keepe their grounde and neuer reculed. Titus also laboured to encourage the rest to fyght but they were so dismayed that they wiste not what to do. For to forsake Titus they were ashamed, and to resist the vyolence of the Iewes they were not able. Notwithstandyng Titus and his companye made their partye good against the Iewes, who at length left the fielde, and withdrewe them selues toward the towne. Then Titus being wroth with his souldiers that they had fled frō the Iewes, saied vnto thē: Shal I not be auenged of these Iewes? shall so fewe of them put vs to flight, not a­ble to stande in their handes? and will ye flee or recule, seinge mee abide by it? The next daye Titus toke all his at my [Page]saue a few that he lest in his campe to kepe the baggage, and wente downs the Mount Oliuet, settinge his men in battaile ray euen against the gates of the city. Then exhorted he thē to plays the men, and although they were come downe the hil, yet they should not fear the Iewes, for their cāpe that they had left behind them: for the broke Cedron (saithe he) is betwene oure campe and the Israelites, with these wordes they were encouraged, and determined to encounter with the Iewes vnder the walles hard at the gates of the citye, trusting to the sauegarde and defence of the brooke Cedron. The captaines of the seditious likewise vsed pollicye: For they deuidinge their men, sente one company to passe sodenli the broke Cedron, to inuade and spoile the Ro­maine campe that were lefte in the Mounte Oliuet. These therfore wente and foughte with the Romaines vp­pon the Mounte, and droue them oute of their campe. Titus lokinge behinde him, and perceiuinge that the Iewes [Page clviii]had gotten ouer the broke and were in hande with his menne, he was won­derfullye afraide, seinge him selfe so enuironned with battailes on euerye side. They within the towne when they sawe their felowes once at the mounte Oliuet, they opened the gates, issued withall their power that was left in the towne and encountred with Titus, where he had set his men in ar­raye ouer againste the gate: where thei made a great slaughter of the Ro­maines, whiche striuing to auenge the shame gottē the dai before fled not, but stucke to it hard. The Iewes also toke hart vnto them, & fought manfully, bet downe the Romaines, that at lengthe they toke thē to flighte toward y^e moūt Oliuet, and in their flight many of thē were slaine of the Iewes that pursued the chase. Vpon this diuers of Titus souldioures seinge them selues beset both before and behind, coūseled Titus to flee with them vnto the mountains to saue his life, least he should be slain by the Iewes, and they all together [Page]with him. For thou (saye they) arte a greate Lord of many kingdomes, and God shal one day bring thee to the im­perial crowne of our Lorde thy father. Nowe therefore if thou shouldest be slaine of the Iewes, we are al but dead and what good should thy deathe do o­ther to thy selfe or to other to be slaine like one of vs? Yet Titus would not be ruled by them, nor receiue their coun­sel, but kept his ground boldly without once turninge his face, sayinge: I vvill chuse rather to die vvith honoure, then to liue vvith shame And with that he rushed vpon the Iewes that were nye him, and drue them to recule. When the Iewes that had enuironned the Romaine campe, sawe that: they lefte the Romaines and came floc­king about Titus by routes, assailinge him on euerye side, endeuouringe also withal their might to ouercharg him: wherthrough, in that place was a sore and vehement fight, and muche people slaine on both parties: yea, Titus scapt narowly from being slain in that fight [Page clxix]and he had dyed in deede, if certaine of his valeant souldiours had not retur­ned vnto him, and rescued him ou [...]e of the Iewes handes. That day were the chiefe of Titus souldiours slaine. Then the Iewes retyred to their place at the walles side. Thei also that went to the mount Oliuet, returned homeward by the broke Cedron. The Romaynes se­inge that, pursued them, wherupon the Iewes tourned againe vppon the Ro­mayns, who fled by and by. Thus the Iewes put y^e Romayns to flight thrise vpon one day.

IT came to passe thē, that the external warres paused, and internall ciuill warres reuiued most terribly amongst the sedicious at Hierusalem. For vpon the firste daye of the hye solemne feast of Passeouer, captaine Iehochanan and his menne came into the temple of the Lorde, where he was honourablye re­ceiued of the priestes and Elders, with the rest of the comminaltie. And when thei were within, they cast of their vp­per garmentes, vnder which thei were [Page]armed with coats of fence & swords ti­ed to their thighs. After that they beset the dores & laid hold of the priests: slue thē & the people also, their hearts was so cruelly bent against their brethren, nether regarding the reuerent counte­naunces of olde men, nor enclining to the praiers of them that besought thē: without sparing ether wemen or chil­dren, no not the suckinge babes. This done Iehochanan stode vp & opēly pro­tested that nether Schimeon nor Elea­sar, nor any of the reast of the captains of the seditious, nor any manne elsse shoulde haue the soueraintie in that citye but he. The other hearinge that Iehochanan had wrought such displea­sure to the people of God in the tem­ple, risse together and slue very many of Iehochanans part, but in the meane season, what of thone parte, and what of the other, the Israelites wente to wracke, and were slain in great nom­ber. Tidinges came to Titus how the Iewes conspired against them selues, and slue one an other daily: wherat he [Page clxxviii]reioysed greatly, & came with his hole hoste to the town: where he found cer­tain Iewes withoute that had fled be­cause of the rage of the ciuill warres. Whē they saw Titus, they came & be­sought him to enter the town and de­liuer them from the crueltye of the se­dicious, & they wold be his seruantes: for these warres had made thē almost wearye of their liues. Yet Titus gaue litle credit to their tale, although they made manye wordes to perswade him that it was true. For he remembred howe within three daies afore, he sawe the Iewes fighte againste him egarlye al with one accorde, so ear­nestlye one rescuing and defending an other, that no discorde appeared to be amongst them. Wherfore he wold not beleue their wordes, in that they re­quired succour and offred to yeld. And as they wer thus debatinge the mat­ter, sodēly they heard an vprore in the town, and wonderful hurliburly, some cryinge. Open the gates, and let Ti­tus come in: other cried shut the gates, [Page]& let not the Romayns come in. Then certaine vppon the walles called vnto the Romayns to make spede and come vnto the towne, they would open them the gates that they might enter in, and deliuer theim from the tyrannye of the sedicious, least they should be all slayne by the handes of those rauinous and cruel sedicious persons. The Romains therfore ranne to the gates, and when they approched nye the Walles, and were come within daunger: the Iewes hurled stones from the walles, & shotte arrowes at them, fleaynge very many of the Romayns. The other Iewes al­so that were without the towne, and had besought Titus to deliuer them frō the hands of the sedicious: began to as­sayle the Romaynes that wer gon to the walles with suche force, that many of them they slew, the residue they put to flyght, & the Iewes folowed the chase almoste to Aiclona. Then the Iewes mock [...] & flouted the Romaynes calling them freshe water souldiers, men of no experience, and innocent fooles that ne­uer [Page clxxi]sawe the traynes of warre before: clappyng also theyr targetes and sha­kyng theyr swordes agaynste the Ro­maynes in mockage. The Romayne captaines seing these thinges, thei toke greate disdayne at the matter and in a great yre would haue turned back vpō the Iewes again had not Titus caused the retreate to be blowen. Vpon this Titus assēbled al his counsailours, cap­tains, and souldiours together, and said vnto them in this wise. I haue a suffi­cient trial, and vnderstand wel mough your valiantnes & courage (most wor­thy men & deare souldiers) whych farre passeth the strēgth & māhode of al other nacions: & not onely in this most excel­lēt vertue do ye excel: but also in know ledge and sleightes of war, in wisdome & forecast ye haue ben chief of al other. Now therfore brethre & frends, I mar­ueil not so greatly at the Iewes subtil­tie & craft in their swearing to you for the persuading of a thing, & after kepe not their oth: but this semeth wonder­ful to me, that ye suffer your selues styl [Page]to be disceiued of them, & to be slaine by their wiles. For al y^e wit ye haue, could not deliuer you out of their snares, but now yet again the .iii. time ye haue ap­proched y^e wals, & this is the .iii. time ye haue ben slain for your labours. And al this cōmeth bicause ye wil not be ruled by me, but transgresse your generall & lords cōmaūdmēt. But now mi brethrē take hede what ye do herafter, it beco­meth you not to rebel agaīst mi words which yet ye haue done oftētimes. Do ye not remēbre a certain n [...]ble man of our coūtry in y^e wars of Augustus Cae­sar against the Persians, how he put his own son to death, bicause y^e contrary to his fathers commaundemēt (who was grand captain of y^e army vnder Augu­stus) he had fough: w^t his enemies: yea, although he kild iii. Persiās. But what speke I of once? ye haue oftentimes set life by my cōmaundemēts, skirmishing dayly with the Iewes, & that without al discretiō, rashly, & out of order: wher­through your cōflicts can haue no good successe. If you cōtinue these maners, it [Page clxxx]shall redownde vnto your owne disho­nours. Wherefore it were better for you to leue of this, and lay away your pryde, contuma [...]ye, and stubburu­nesse: whiche if ye dooe, thinges shall be in better sauegarde. Muche more spake Titus to his men, rebuking them sharpely, not mencioned here, but de­clared at large in the volume that wee writ vnto the Romains. When he had said, his princes and captains fel euery one prostrate to the earth, & besought him of pardon for their rashnes in that they had so vnaduisedlye and without order against his mind encofitred with the Iewes. Then Titus taking pitie of thē, pardoned them, requesting thē to be ware herafter y^t they cōmitted nothing agaīst his cōmaundmēt nother in word nor dede: & so doing, the [...] shold haue his fauour, & auoid his displesure & daūger of deth for the cōtrary. But if thei refu­sed to do it, whatsoeuer he wer y^e shold trāsgres his cōmaundmēt, he wold not spare him, but put him to death, & geue his body to be eatē of y^e fouls of thayre. [Page]They aunswered all with one voyce: We are content with these condiciōs, and wil do what so euer thou shalt cō ­maunde vs. After this Titus conside­ring howe earnestly the Ierosolimites were set one againste an other, howe they were become such cruel and mor­ [...]al enemies, that eche of them conspi­red others death: he caused the pittes, cesterns, and trenches that were about Ierusalem to be damde vp and stopte with earthe, that the waies mighte be leuilled for his army. That don he en­ [...]āpt him self nearer the wals. Against whiche attempte the Iewes issued not out of the town after their accustomed manner, to put them backe from the walles. For Schimeon was otherwise occupied, he had enterteined ten thou­sande men of the best of the seditious Iewes, and ioyned him selfe to Iacob the Edomite, captaine of .ix. thousande Edomites: with whome he had made a conspiracy vtterly to destroye captaine Iehochanan. And settinge vppon him, they cōpelled him to flie into the courte [Page clxxiii]of the temple: where he remained in y^e gate of thentrance of the temple with eight thousand and .iiii. hundreth good men of war, al wel appointed in [...]acks. Eleasar also was against him, and ioy­ned with Schimeon becomming an e­nemy to him that before had saued his life: and so they both together a [...]ailed Iehochanan, neglectinge the defence of the towne. By this meanes the Ro­maines encamped them selues aboute the walles at their pleasure, raisings toures, and castinge trenches to plante their iron Rammes vpon to batter the wals. The cōmon people of the Iewes, that were vnder the rule and gouern­ment of the three seditious captaines, namelye Schimeon, Eleasar, and Ieho­chanan (which although they were ill inough al: yet the tiranny of Iehocha­nan far passed Schimeon, & Schimeon was far worsse then Eleasar: thoughe Eleasar was the head author and firste beginner of sedicion in al Israel) were amongst them as she pe redy to be kil­led. For the forsaid sedicious captains, [Page]slew the people at their pleasures, and deuided them into bandes, cas [...]yng lots vpon them who should haue which, so that one had anothers men, & another man his. And this did they not onelye with their owne men, but also with al the rest of the people, in suche wise, that when the Romains made any assault, then ioyned they together as one man to resist the Romayns, & whē they had geuen them a repulse, then wouldthey returne to their c [...]uel warres, & fal to­gether by the eares among them selfes. Extreme and dreadfull was the ciuyll conflict at that season betwene the thre foresaid captains: and so sore, that the bloude streamed downe the chanel out of the gates of Hierusalem, like as a broke that runneth out of a fountayne and well sprynge. The Romeynes se­inge it, were moued with much pitie, y^t they wept bitterly. But Ioseph y^t was amongst thē was striken with so great heauinesse, that he burst out into a so­rowful lamentation, liftyng vp his wo­ful voyce in this wise.

ALas alas Ierusalem, the citie of the great kinge, howe shail I now call thee at this daye, or what name shal I geue thee? Sometyme thou wast called Iebus of Iebusaeus that builded thee first in all thys lande. After that thy name was Zedek, that is iustice: wherupon thy kinge Iehoram was called Malki­zedek, for hee was a ryghteous kyng, and because he raygned in thee wyth sustice, therefore was thy name Ze­dek. Then ryghtuousnesse hadde his abidyng in thee, and thy bright starre that shined in thee, was Zedek. Moreouer, in his time was thou called Schalem, as the Scripture witnesseth, and Malki zedek king of Schalem, and that because the iniquitie of the people that dwelte in thee was then fulfilled. For at that tyme chose Abraham oure father (of worthye memorye) to wor­ship god in thee, and to take thee to his enheritaunce, to plant in thee the rote of good woorkes. Whereupon the ta­bernacle of God remayneth in thee to thys daye: as it was reuealed vnto the [Page]same our father Abraham. In the (say His the sanctuarye of the Lorde. For in that place did Abraham binde his onlye Sonne, vpon the toppe of one of thy hilles, that is called mount Mori­ah, holy and halowed: and therfore art thou called Ierusalem, because oure fa­ther Abraham (of famous memory) cal­led the place of thy sanctuary Adonai ijreeh, the Lorde shall see. Then thy late name beinge Schelem, this ioyned to it, made it Ijreshalem. For the Lord God shall behold the place of thy sanc­tuarye, at what time as it shalbe Scha­lem, that is pure, vncorrupte, without lacke or spot: but whē so euer it is pol­luted and defiled as it is at this daye, then wil he turne awaye his face from it. Furthermore thou arte also called Ierushalaim therfore: because that who so vnderstande the dignity and worthi­nesse of the place wherin thy sanctua­ry is: shall bid the angelles of heauen, to teache in it the doctrine of the holye ghoste, and the spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding, wherwith litle childrē [Page clxxv]and the vnlearned in thy lande may be made wise. He also that ministred in thy temple, had on a garmente of .iiii. coloures, Skarlet, Violet, Bisse, and Purple. Skarlet in respecte of the hea­nens that be aboue the firmamente: Violet and Bisse coloures (whiche be made of flaxe) because of the earthe of which they come: finally purple in res­pect of the sea where purple is gotten. Therfore when as the priest came in­to the temple to minister apparailed in these .iiii. colours, he saide before the almighty God: I come to presente my self here in thy sighte (O Lorde of the world) in .iiii. kindes of coloures, that do represent the partes of thy worlde, and in suche wise do I appeare before the [...], as though I shoulde bring all the hole world into thy sight. Moreouer, y^e foresaid apparail was garnished with pure gold and precious stones, after y^e likenesse of the tribes of the sonnes of Iacob, who was called Israell: that in that garment he might haue the soue­rainty before the angels that be aboue [Page]and by them preuail to bringe the ver­tue of the holy ghost, by the which they should obteine wisdome that dwell in thee, and prospere in their study and faith, that they mighte haue wisdome and vnderstandinge together. Hys loines also were girded with linnen sloppes, wherewith he couered his se­crete partes, for it becommeth priestes most of al other persons to be shamfast and bashful, spec [...]ally when he should minister in the two sanctuaries. For there are .ii. sanctuaries, the vtter and thinnar, which is the sanctum sactorū or the holiest of all. In the vtter, the priestes minister as the hie priest com­maūdeth thē: but into y^e inner, y^t is the sanctū sanctorū entreth no mā, saue y^e bie priest only, & that but once a yeare. For in it was the arcke of the coue­naunt of the Lord, in the which were laid vp the .ii. tables of thecouenaunt y^e God made with the people of Israell in the mount Sinai. There is also the rod of Aaron that florished & broughte forth leaues. All these were in the first [Page clxxxiiii]temple whiles it was yet standing. Ouer against that sāctuary, were .xiiii. stairs or steppes vpon the which apeared the miracle to kinge Chiskiahu. And thou Ierusalem at that time was stronger then other cities, Lady of al prouinces for greate kinges and princes builded thee. Kinge Herode much exalted thee, raising thy walles on height, & besides that also, defenced thee with an other wall, Antochia that he named Antochia of An­tiochas a Romain, who liberally gaue much mony toward the repairinge of the ruines & decaies that were in thée. How commeth it to passe therfore that thou art broughte thus lowe? the gen­tils haue the rule ouer thee now and besiege thee, racing thee, & casting thee down (yea, they are now in y^e midst of thee. Wo be to vs for our sinnes, for y^e hautines of thy strength is dashed, thy sanctuary is troden vnder the fote, and made a sinck of the bloud of slain per­sons. Drinke now of thy cup O Ieru­salem with thy daughter Sion, drinke I say the cup of veration and grief to­gether [Page]with her: for yet the time shall come, that visions shall be reueiled and redemption also it selfe, that thy children shal retourne to their coastes, with the healthe of their redeamer. Then shalbe the time of frendshippe, and then shalt thou drincke the cuppe of health and consolation. After this, Titus wente to vewe what waye he might best assault the citye, and as he deuised with him self, he espied a plain on that side where the sepulchre of Io­chanan the hie priest was, whereas he staied a while, and sent one of his cap­taines that were there with him cal­led Nikanor, to common with y^e Iewes that were vppon the walles, to moue them to peace: willing him to say thus vnto them: Frendes, my Lord Titus is desirous to spare you and to make a league with you, that ye mighte be at quiet and oute of this daunger of de­siruction. And if you be so disposed to consent thereunto, Titus shall make a league with you yet before night. Ni­kanor wente and spake with the peo­ple [Page clxxvii]in such wise as Titus hadde willed him. The Iewes gaue him no word to answer, but held their peace: wherfore Nikanor spake vnto them againe, and as he was talkynge vnto them, one frō the walles stroke him with an arrowe and killed him. Wherat Titus was ex­ceadyng wrathe that they should shout at his captaine offerynge theim peace, and his death grened him marueilous­ly. Wherfore he commaunded ladders brakes, slynges, yron rammes, and o­ther engins of warre to be brought to assaulte the towne. So the souldiours brought an yron Ramme to batter the walle, and planted it vppon a mounte accordynglye. The Iewes seinge that were soore afrayed, wherfore the three capitaynes of the sedicious sell at one, and openynge the gates, issued out, and beat the Romaynes from their pieces, and engyns that were nowe ready ad­dressed, settynge fire on them and bur­nyng them, the ram, slings, & al thother engines, a few excepted, which Titus & his men saued from the fire. In this cō ­flicte [Page]the men of Alexandria, that ser­ued Titus, behaued them selues like tall fellowes in the rescuinge of the slinges from the Iewes: yet the Iewes preuailed: and gate the vpper hand of them, till Titus came with a stronge power of picked men, to succoure the Alexandrians, whereas twelue of the stoutest Iewes were slaine. In the same skirmishe Iehochanan a captain of the Edomites, that came to aide the Iewes was slain, by an Arabian, that came behinde him, and stroke him with an arrowe, whiles he was tal­kinge with the Romains that had en­treated him to come vnto them. For whome the Edomites mourned, and lamented sore, for he was a good man of warre. The nexte nighte certaine of the seditious, chieflye of Iehochanan and Schimeons companye, issued oute and came to the three wodden towers that Titus hadde crected before the Walles, and sette a greate Garrison of valiaunt Souldiours aboute theim to defende theim, and to viewe al­so [Page clxxviii]the toune oute of them to see what the Iewes dyd. And whosoeuer were nye the tou [...]es, those the Iewes slew, the other fled to Titus campe. But the Romayns that were within y^e towers wiste nothing of the matter, trustinge to them that were set about the toures for theyr sauegarde: and therfore slept all the night. The Iewes after they had slayne the Romayne watche and put them to flyght, they came to the toures wyth sawes, and cut the feyt a sonder so that they fell sodenly toge­ther wyth them that were wythin them, whyche were very manye and slewe them euery one. Titus hearynge the alarme and the crasshing of the fal­lynge of the towres, was sore afrayed and all hys hole armye: and not kno­wing what the matter was, they durst not sturre toward it: so the Iewes re­turned clere into the toune. On the morowe Titus brought his hole power to the walles, and whyles the Iewes were at their cōtenciones in the toune, he addressed an other Iron Ramme [Page]wherwith he sodenlye strake the vtter wall and battered it through: wher­vppon, the people that warded that wal wer sain to get them selfes with­in the sauegarde of the seconde wall▪ Then Titus commaunded his souldi­ers to race to the ground that wal that he had pearsed, and to carye awaye the stones thereof, that they shoulde be no let nor hinderaunce to his men. This was the mooste substanciall and stron­gest wal of al, thicker then bothe tho­ther, and was builded by Herode. The Romaines labouring earnestly in the defacing of the vtter wal, were slaine in great noumber by the Iewes from the middle wall, before they coulde fi­nishe their purpose. The chiefe of the Iewes perceiuing that Titus had not only taken, but also quite pulled down the vtter wal, & howe there was now but two walles left about the towne: it went to their hartes and made them loke aboute them: therefore began the seditious now earnestlye to thinke of vnity and concord amongst thē selues: [Page clxxix]so then they deuided the town amōgst them into three wardes. Iehochanan was appointed vnto that warde that is on the Northe parte of the temple, beside the Antochia. That parte of the town that was toward the tombe of Iochanan the highe prieste, was attributed to Schimeon. To Eleasar was committed the keepinge of the wall. These exhortinge one an other to playe the menne, did valeantlye re­siste the Romaines: so that the con­flictes then, began to be sore and hard. The Romaines for their renown and fame, laide on loade: and the Iewes againe stucke stiflye to the defence, se­inge their ende at hande if they were slacke. Titus nowe and then exhorted his Souldioures to playe the menne, promysinge them that woulde vale­auntlye geue the onsette vppon the Iewes, aboundaunce of golde, siluer, and muche honoure withall. Then stepte forthe one of his souldiours na­med Longinus, and put hym selfe a­mongste the routes of the Iewes that [Page]were issued out of the toune, where he slew a couple of the chiefe of them, and streyght recouered hym selfe, a­gayne wythin the araye of the Ro­maynes. But the Iewes shrinkt not frome the Romaynes: for they were in a feruent rage and a wonderfull disdayne: and to further theyr cou­rage, Schimeon came vnto hys men and cryed vpon them wyth a loude voyce saynge: For the reuerence of God, frendes, flye not thys daye: who soeuer dothe▪ flye, let hym be sure he shall dye for it, and hys house destroy­ed. Titus also admonyshed hys to kepe theyr araye and not to geue back to Schimeon. Then wente he hym selfe to that par [...]e of the toune where Iehochanans warde was, there he cau­sed an Iron Ram to be planted and bente agaynst the wall, (for there was a large playne). There was at that tyme in Ierusalem one called Kan­tor, who gat to hym a company of the sedicious, and shote frome the walles [Page clxxx]into the Romaynes armye, where he slewe very manye, compellynge the reste to retyre, he wyth nyne other tale felowes whereof he was the De­curian defended one part of the toune. Nowe as the Romaynes bended the Ramme to batter the wall, Kantor cryed vnto Titus. I beseche thee my Lorde Titus, be mercyfull of thys moste famous Citie that is almoste bete doune all redye: do not deface it vtterly, but take pitye of the sanctuary that is in it, and destroye not the ha­bitacion of the Lorde God. Titus at hys requeste commaunded hys men to staye and to leaue of batterynge the wall, then sayed he to Kantor. Come forthe hyther to me and thou shalte saue thy lyfe, I wyll pardon thee, thou shalte not be destroyed. Kantor an­swered, I wyl see if I canne perswade these my felowes to come wyth me. But he dyd it vppon coloure, for none other cause then craftily to tryfle out time, to make Titus to leaue of the [Page]assaulte for a while. So he spake vnto his fellowes that knewe his minde that the Romaines mighte heare: Let vs go downe and flye to the Romaine armye. Then they drewe oute theyr swordes and made as thoughe they woulde kill him, strikinge vppon his harnes, and he fel down to the ground in the sighte of the Romaines, whiche were ignoraun [...]e of his disceite. Then one of the Romaines let flie an arrow, that wounded Kantor vppon the face, and glauncinge from him, slewe an other that stode by him. Then Kan­tor cried oute. What do ye? will ye shoote at vs that desire to be at peace with you, whiche ye graunted your selues, and nowe will breake your promisse that ye made vnto vs? Is this the rewarde my Lorde Titus that thou rendrest me for goinge aboute to flye vnto thee? that thy souldiours shal shoote at me, hearinge me to require condicions of peace? Nowe therefore my Lorde, pleaseth it thee to sends hi­ther some man of honoure, to whome [Page clxxxi]I maye come downe and receiue assu­raunce of thy promisse, and come to thee afterwardes to be as one of thine owne menne. Titus thinckinge he mente good faithe, spake vnto Ioseph, willinge him to goe and make peace with the Iewe in his name: then to bringe him vnto him that he might finde sauegarde of his life, from the common destruction. Iosephe answe­red. Whye wilt thou sende me? what haue I offended thee? haue I not euer done the true and faithfull seruice? Therefore if thou beare me any good will or fauoure, sende me not vnto him whome I canne not tru [...]e: for Iosephe mystrusted some subteltye knowinge Kantor afore. So Titus sente [...]ne captaine Iiarus, who sayde vnto Kantor, come downe and let vs go together to Cesars sonne. Kantor desired him to holde abroade his cloke lappe, that he mighte hurle hym downe his monye that he had there, (least the Iewes perceiuing it woulde take it from him) and then he woulde [Page]come downe. And as Iiarus helde vp his lappe to receyue the money that Kantor spake of, Kantor wyth all his myght caste downe a greate Stone, whiche Iiarus espiynge, lepte asyde and auoyded: but it lyghte vppon one of hys fellowes and slewe hym. Titus was wonderfull wrothe at thys, and foorthwyth planted yet an other yron Ramme agaynste the Walle, and at lengthe layed it flatte vpon the groūd. Then commaunded Titus to make fires aboute the Walle, whereas the Iewes shoulde escape by. Kantor seing that, woulde haue fled, and as he made haste to scape the fires, the weight of bys armour bare hym downe into the fire, and there hee dyed, more desie­rous of death then lyfe. Then ente­red the Romaynes within the seconde Walle, agaynste whome the Sedi­cious issued and foughte wyth suche vehemente force, that they preuay­led agaynste theyr ennemyes, slewe manye of the Romaynes, and for­ced the reste to retyre vnto the firste [Page clxxxii]Walle that they hadde beaten downe afore. In thys skyrmyshe Titus him selfe tooke a bowe and shotte at the Iewes in suche wyse, that no one of hys arrowes were spente in vaine, but that it did some anoyaunce vnto the Iewes, yet for all that the Ie­wes gaue theim the repulse from the Towne, and the Romaynes were not able to make their partye good wyth theim. Wythin foure dayes after came vnto Titus a newe sup­plye of Souldiours oute of all quar­ters for to ayds the Romaynes, by whose healpe they preuayled agaynste the Iewes at suche tymes as they issued oute of the Towne, and con­strayned them to wythorawe them sel­ues within the walles.

Yet Titus pitiynge the miserable state of the Citye, Temple, and peo­ple of the Lorde, at that tyme com­maunded hys people to wythdrawe theim selues from the walles, and to leaue of the assaulte for a whyle: that he myghte offer peace vnto the Iewes, [Page]to see if they woulde nowe be contente to submitte theim selues vnto the Ro­mayns, to haue quiet and rest wythout daunger of distruction. Wherfore he gaue them truce for fiue dayes. And v­pon the fift daye he came to the gate of the citie, whereas he straightway espi­ed Schimeon and Iehochanan together preparing fire to distroye the Romains engyns of warre, for all the Iewes had agreed together with one accorde and one minde still to withstande the Ro­mayns. Wherfore Titus perceiuynge the Iewes to be so desperatlye set, that they hadde euen vowed their lyues to deathe: he began to offer and propose vnto them cōdicions of peace, & sharp­ly to reproue and blame their obstinate stubburnnes, saiyng: I haue now won two of your wals, and ye haue but one left. Therfore if you will continue stil in this selfe willed frowardnes: what wyl ye dooe (most miserable creatures) when as I shall atchiue also the thirde wall, and quite distroy your citye, pul­lynge downe your Temple and all? [Page clxxxiii]Why dooe ye not rather fauoure and spare your own liues, your wiues and children? But the Iewes set vppon a solemne obstinacie, would in no wyse heare Titus speake. Therefore Titus sent Iosephe to declare his minde vnto them in Hebrue, that they might safe­ly credite his promises, and the peace that was offered. Iosephe therefore went and stode ouer agaynst the gate, képynge hym selfe alofe of, for he was afrayed to come nie the wall, know­yng that the people hated hym bicause he had yelded him self to the Romains. He called therefore vnto theim aloude: Hearken all ye Hebrues and Iewes, I will declare vnto you that, that shal be to your profite. Then the People gaue eare vnto Ioseph, who spake vnto them in this wise.

Woe to all frowarde People, and suche as rebell againste the LORD GOD, what meane ye you wretches, what haue ye to leane vnto that ye are so stubburne, when as neuertheles the Lorde is gone from you? For you are wicked people, & haue sinned againste him. Howe can your sinnes be purged which ye haue committed in the Tem­ple of the Lorde by sheadinge of inno­cente bloude without all mercse? Ye are moste giltye, for ye haue fought in the temple and sanctuarye of the Lord, ye haue defiled it with the dead bodyes of theim, whom ye haue slayne in the midst thereof. Besides that, ye haue su­spended and vnhalowed the name of the Lords with youre fightinges, ma­king warres vpon your Sabboth daie, vpon your solemne and festiual daies. Tel me now ye frowarde rebels: whe­ther [Page cxcv]did euer your forefathers preuaile against their enemies with speare and shilde, or rather with prayer, penaunce, and purenes of hearte, wherwith they serued GOD, and he againe deliuered them? But you, what haue ye to truste vnto, when as ye are vnfaithful? Your shadow and protectiō is departed from you, and your Lorde God aydeth your enemies, whose power he mainteyneth to distroye you. If you imagine to be deliuered with your swords & speares, you are foulie disceiued, whereas God would not that you shoulde escape the hands of your enemies. Opē your eies and se what Dauid the anointed of the lord said. For the lord vvill saue neither by svvorde nor speare. Call to your re­mēbrance (ye very foles) Abraham your father which begat you, by what mea­nes he ouercame Pharao the kinge of Egipt, who violently had taken away Sara his wife frō him, surely nonother way did he obteine the victory, then by praier vnto the lord, who stirred the spirit of Pharao, and put him in minde to [Page]restore him his wife Sara clene & vnde­filed. Abrahā was quiet in his bed, & at reste from al troubles, but Pharao that greate Lorde and ruler, he was puni­shed in the meane season with greate plages, bicause of Sara whō he had takē to him by violēce to defloure her, which God wold not suffer, but rather vnco­uered Pharaos flesh, that he was fain to shewe the secrete partes of his bodye to phisitions to se if thei coulde he ale thē. But who can cure thinfirmities which god sendes, or who knowes his entēts? For who knewe that Ieschaciahus biles could be healed with a plaster of figs, or Naman Syrus lepry, w^t the waterꝭ of Iordan: or y^e bitter waterꝭ with worm­wode? Wherefore when as no man could cure Pharao, he was glad & faine to speake Abraham faire, & to intreate him to pray vnto god to take away frō him this plage: & so by his prayer Pha­rao recouered. Then Pharao apparaled Sara in precious garmentes, gaue her giftes bothe golde and siluer and pre­ous stones, & sent her home honest, pure [Page cxcvi]and holy to Abraham, liyng then in his owne house. Isaac also when hee was driuen oute by Abimilech kinge of the Philistines, and had with him y^e bonde seruauntes of his fathers housholde, to the number of .8. hundred & .18. wyth whō Abraham had discōfited fiue kin­ges, befide many other mo of his fami­ly, so that he had ben stronge inough to to haue inuaded the Philistines: yet he would not do it, but with all mekenes & humilitie he vsed him self toward the king of that countrey. Notwithstan­dynge after he was driuen out of that lande, the Philistines came vnto hym, and entreated hym, saiynge: we per­ceiue the Lorde God is with thee. &c. as it is written in the Scripture. What shal we saye of Iacob when he fled frō the presēce of his brother Esau, he cari­ed nothing with him but a bare staffe, wherwith he passed ouer the riuer Iordan, as it is written: Wyth my staffe passed I this Iordane. Hys necessaries tooke wyth him for his iourney, was praier, wherwith he made al his wars. [Page]That was it for the whyche God as­sisted him when he went away to La­ban, and when he returned from him, when also he was deliuered out of the hands of hys brother Esau that sought to kyll hym. Moreouer, by the way as he returned, when he wrasteled with a certaine man, and ouercame him. Oh lorde, who is able to number the mer­cies of the Lord, & the maruails which he wrought wyth our fathers of wor­thye memorie, Abraham, Isaac, and Ia­cob? What should I speake of Moyses our shepeherd the man of god that fea­red the cruelty of Pharao, vntil he writ in the law, that he had called the name of his son Eliasar, for he said the god of his father helped him, & deliuered him out of the handes of Pharao. And when he came before Pharao to deliuer Is­raell oute of hys handes, and to leade thē out of Egypt: what thing els ouer­came he the tyrāt withal, thē w^t praier? Did he not ouerthrow y^e prid of Pharao & his charmers only with y^e rod of the Lord, which he had w^t him? Wherwith [Page cxcvii]also he smote Aegipt with ten plages, & deuided the sea into twelue pathes? And at the red sea Moyses resisted not Pharao and hys hostes wyth force of armes, but with prayer: wherfore Pharao & all his ware drouned in y^e botom of the sea. But Moyses sang a song of prayse vnto oure God whyle the soul­diers of the Aegiptians perished that came agaynste Moyses and the people of Israell with weapons, horses, & cha­riotes: notwithstāding by the meanes of Moyses prayer they wer ouerwhel­med al in the sea, so that not one of thē escaped. Who is ignorant of this, that prayer is of more force then all instru­mentes of war: that it spedeth and ha­steneth the help of the Lorde, and his sauing health? Do you not know whā Iosua the minister of Moyses passed o­uer Iordan, that he was a warlyke man, and had with him very manye moste valeant souldiers? Neuertheles he destroyed not the seuen walles of Iericho by force of war, but all onlye with prayer, and with the showtes & [Page]noyse of the preestes of the Lorde, our forfathers? Knowe ye not howe that prayer auayled Gedeon, when as he w^t 300. men vanquished the hole hoste of Median. Amalek & the people of y^e east, if prayer had not helped him, I praye you what had 300. men ben able to do against so great a multitude? Mark (ye fond people) what chaūsed in the arke of the couenant of the Lorde, that the Philistins toke away. Our fathers tru­ly were not able to recouer it by theyr swordes & force of armes. But with y^e prayer that the iust men of that adge made, the ark was brought agayn vn­to his place. Cōsider the times of Hezekia king of Iuda, when as Sennacherib king of Assur came vp blaspheming, & rayling vpō the sanctuary of y^e Lord God of hostes, vttering y^e pryd & malice of his hart: by what meanes was he ouerthrone? did our fathers ouercome him by force of armes? Nay without doubte: but with prayer & supplication. For Hezekia y^e king, went & put on apparail mete for prayer: in sted of a shild [Page cxcviii]he toke sack cloth, for a helmet, he cast dust vpō his heed, & in steed of arrowes & a sword, he set hand vpon prayer and supplieatiō. And the prayer y^e Hezekia made, mounted vp so far as no arrow had bene euer able to flee: so that hys one petition and prayer ouerthrou 185. thousand most valeāt men of y^e hoste of Sennacherib. Forthermore the king of Iuda & king of Israell & king of Edom ioyning their powers together, inua­ded the Moabites, & in a wildernes, an vnoccupied & barē dry lād they wer in great peril for thyrst: what profited thē their artillery & furniture of war? Did there not issue out for thē at the instant praier of Eliseus a prophet & mā of God plēty of waters in y^e desert & a broke in y^e wildernes? Came it not to passe also by y^e praier of y^e same Eliseus, y^t a won­derful hurlybucly, a rūbling, & ratling of chariots of war & of horses was hard in y^e camps of y^e Sirianes besedging the citie of Samaria: with y^e which noyse y^e Sirianes being a ferd, fled, noman pur­suing nor folowing thē? ye know also y^e by the prayer of the forsayd prophet, [Page]the famin and lack of victuales that was in the toune of Samaria, was tur­ned into great abundaūce and plenty, in so much that thirty Ephas or me­sures of fine meale were sold for one piece of siluer. Do you not see (most fo­lish men) how our forfathers had the victory euer by prayer? But let vs come to y^e beginning agayn, and speak of Moyses: what tyme as he held vp his handes toward heauen, had not Israell the vpper hand of the Amale­kites, by his prayer? Iosua also by hys prayer stayed the sunne and mone in the sight of the people of Israell, & the sunne stode stil in Gibeon, & the moone in the valey of Ailon, that the euening was chaūged into monday, and so Is­rael vanquished their enemies. Samp­son also that moste valeant gyant, vn­till such time as he had sinned, did not God euermore heare his praier, & euer he gat y^e victory therby? After he had once sinned, he decayed as any other meane person. Lykewyse also kynge Saule, al the while he walked perfectly [Page cxcix]and purely, his prayer encreased hys valeantnes and strenght: but after he had once sinned, God left hym & gaue him ouer. Dauid also king of Israel, of famous memory, from the time of his youth till his laste end, his valiantnes neuer fayled him, and why? bycause he alwayes was helped bi his praier, nei­ther wolde he euer fight agaynst hys coūtry men and natiue people whan as Saule persecuted him. Wherefore he preuayled agaynst his enemies, and bycause he absteyned to lay his hādes vpon hys brethern: therfore afterward all nations feared him. Dyd not Assa king of Iuda accompanied with a smal numbre of men, make an expedition againste the Aethiopianes, and praing to the Lorde God, sayd on this wyse: VVe in dede, knovve not vvhat to do, but oure eyes are bente vpon thee, &c. Which prayer the almighty dyd hear, and the victory followed, so that Assa slew in the campes of the Aethiopians tenne hundreth thousand men. De­boras a prophetyse by her prayer [Page]brought to pas great health in Israel. What shal I tel of diuers other iuste & godly wemen, which by theyr prayers obteined many thīgs. Tel me (ye mad mē) know ye not what Amaziahu king of Iuda did? He hauing warres wyth the Edomites, vāquished them and led them prysoners with their wyues and children & idoles also to Ierusalē: then fell to worshipping of the same idoles that he had taken from the Edomites, saing vnto thē, you ar they which haue saued me, & by y^e reason Iworship you: therfore haue I ouercomed y^e Edomits. To whome whē a prophet of the Lord came & asked him, why sekest thou and seruest the Goddes of, that people that were not able to deliuer thē out of thy hand? By & by he taunted the prophet agayne, sainge: who made the of the kinges counsel? wherfore after that he was no moar reprehēded of y^e prophet, for the lord had determined to distroy him, as it is writen in the bokes of the chronicles of the kinges of Iuda. Ther fore he was taken prisoner afterward [Page cxcx]like a fore, when as he fought agaynst Ioas king of Israel in Bethschemesch, & so was he compared to a lowe & vyle thorn or shrub: And Ioas vnto the no­ble & hye ceder tree. Yea all the euilles that euer happened vnto vs in any age, it came of our selues: for our lord God is ryghteous in all his workes that euer he wrought vpon vs. Oure ene­mis did vs neuer so much harm as we did to our selues, & to our owne liues. Ye wote, the gētiles toke our precious vessels of our sāctuary away to babel, & brought vs thē agayn vndefiled, but we polluted & defiled them our selues & the tēple also with innocēt blud, which we shed abundantly within it, adding sinnes to sinnes euer mo & mo, breking the lawe with our euil actes. For who brought y^e Romains first against y^e city of Ierusalē, but Hircanus & Aristobulꝰ, for they being at dissentiō betwixt thē selues & one hating y^e other, called y^e to mains against this city? who brought Antoni & Sosius princes of y^e Romains agaynst Ierusalem, but Herod, beyng [Page]at variance for the kingdom with the house of Chasmonanites? who also cal­led Nero Caesar to reygn ouer vs, dyd you it not your selues? Nowe therfore why rebel ye against the empyre & do­minion of the Romaines? If you will saye, bycause the Romayn presidēt E­domaeus ordered you to bad: had it not ben mete rather to complain of him to the Emperour, then to rebel agaynste the Romaynes and to make warre a­gainst them? But you wyll say, we re­belled agaynst Nero Caesar because he did vs to muche wronge. Wherefore then rebell ye now against Vaspasian Caesar, a moste merciful man, and one which neuer hurt you? Or why make ye not peace with his son, to be vnder him accordinge as other nationes be, that ye might lyue and not peryshe? Haue ye not a sufficient profe of hys clemencie and mercifulnes, when as he hath cause to be cruel vpon no man so much as vpon me, whiche drew out my sword agaynst the Romaines, and killed many of them? notwithstanding [Page cci]neyther he nor the reste of y^e Romains haue done me any harme. Yea, rather they haue bestowed many benefites vpon me, and although I was in their handes, yet they haue saued my lyfe. Yea, I cōfesse, that before they had me prisoner, I wolde gladly many times haue fled to thē, but I could neuer do it, for I was euer aferd of my wicked cōpaions, least they shulde haue killed me, & so my death had bene to no pur­pose. But now I prayse the lorde God without ceassing, bycause that for his vnmeasurable mercies sake, he wold not suffer me to be entāgled in y^e same mischieues y^e you be in. Nether wold I wish to be a cōpanion of such loste vn­thriftes & castawayes as you be, which haue shed the bloud of innocētes in the tēple of the lord. In deed if I had bene with you, I shuld haue ben voyd of al hope as ye be, seinge ye spare not your owne liues, & your owne cōtumacie & stubbernes is made a snare for you. See I pray you, with how great mis­chiefes you are laden. First the lord is [Page]not emongst you, insomuch y^e through the warres whiche you haue made e­mōgst your selues, almost y^e waters of Schiloach ar dried vp, which her tofore whē y^e nations made war against you, flowed in great abūdance & ran ouer y^e bankes on both sydes. But you are o­ [...]erth wart rebelles y^t haue euer prouoked y^e lord God vnto wrath, you haue made slaughteres one vpō an other in the midest of the tēple of the lord: how can then the glory of the lord dwel e­mongst you? Knowe ye not bycause of Korach & his cōgregatiō, the lord sayd vnto Moyses & to his people Separate your selues frō emōg this cōgregatiō and I shal cōsume thē in a tvvinkling of an eye? But you are far worse then they, for without all remors or pitie, [...]e pull doun the tēple of y^e lord with our own hādes, & you your selues set fyre on the sanctuary, which most noble kinges & most holy prophets builded, & besyds al this, ye nether spare your sonnes nor doughters. And although I be in the Romains cāp, yet I am not absent frō [Page ccii]you, for my moste dearly beloued wife is with you, y^e wife of my youth, whō I can not set lightly by at this present, although I neuer had childrē by her, but rather loue her moste entierly, by­cause she came of a most honest & godly house. My dear father & mother ar also with you, very aged persones, for my father is at this day a hundreth & three yeres olde, & my mother four score and fyue, but the yeres of my life ar very few, euil & ful of tribulacion & sorowe, about threscore & seuen, nether haue I lyued yet so long, that according to na­ture I shuld desire to dye. Now therfor if so be it you trust not me, but suppose I haue proposed these thinges to you deceytfully, and that ther is no trust of Titus coueuant and bonde, or that his league shuld be to your hinderāce and discōmoditie: go to, if it come so to pas, it shalbe leeful for you to kil my father & mother, & my wife: yea I swere vnto you by the lorde our God, that I shall deliuer my lyfe also into your handes, that you may do with me what ye list: [Page]and by that meanes shall the bloud of my parentes, my wyues, & myne be in pledge. Therfore let the aunciēt of the city come forth, & I wil make a league betwixt them and our lord Titus. And doubt ye not but as hytherto the lorde God wold you shuld be afflicted & pu­nished by the gouernement of the Ro­maynes: so hereafter, he shall benefyt you therby and doo you good, if so be it you wil once acknowledg and cōfesse, that al dominion is chaunged and al­tered at his cōmandement, & that God humbleth whome he lyste, and agayn whom he list he setteth aloft. But per­suade your selues of this, that as longe as ye refuse to be subiect vnto the Romaines, so long ye styre agaynste your selues Godes wrath and hye displea­sure: and besydes that differ the lengar and prolong your redemption and de­liuerance, not only to your selues, but also to your posteritye. Nowe therfore my brethern, I thought it my parte to declare al these thinges vnto you, and it is in your power to chuse whyther [Page cciii]ye lyste, for who so will, let him geue eare vnto me, and who not, let him ab­steyn from my counsell.

THe people hearinge these wordes & sainges of Ioseph the priest, wept wonderfully, for they could haue bene cōtent to haue folowed his counsell. At that time Titus gaue cōmaundement to al the Romaynes, to send again the Iewes y^e wer prisoners, and the slaues into the city, & by that meanes he shif­ted from him self the bloud of the ser­uauntes, and laid it vpon the neckes of their masters: for Titus toke pity of thē through Iosephs oratiō, & hys good coūsell. The cōmon people of y^e Iewes desired nothing more then to haue co­med forth, & to fal at agremēt to make peace w^t Titus, but Schimeon, Eleasar, & Iehochanan captaines of y^e seditious, set strōg watch & ward at euery gate, charging thē to kill all that wold go forth, and by that meanes many were killed whiche wold haue fled forth to Titus: and so the city of Ierusalē was closed vp that no man coulde get out nor in. [Page]In the meane season fell a great darth & famin in Ierusalem, in so much that the seditiōs serched euery mans house and sellar to find foode, which when a certaine housekeper would haue with­stood, he was killed emongst thē. And thus they dealed with al mē y^e dwelled at Ierusalem, til al the victuales in the toune was spente, that men began to seek dong & very mans excrements to eat, wherfore much of the people dyed for hungar. Whosoeuer at that tyme could get any herbes, or rootes, myse, serpēts or other creping worms what soeuer they wer to eat: he was coūted happy, bicause he had foūd meat to su­steyn & saue his lyfe withall, in y^e hard famin & terrible hūgar. Moreouer who so had any corne in store that no man knew of, he was afrayd to send it to the myll or bake it, bicause of the wicked nes of the seditious, lest they shuld take away frō them their sustenance, wher­fore many cat the dry corne vnground in their sellers priuily. At y^e tyme also were exceading rych men in Ierusalē, which stale meat one from an other, so [Page cciiii]that the father catcht meat frō his son, the son frō his father, y^e mother snatch frō her childrē, the childrē likewise frō their mother, & suche as fled out at the gates or otherwyse let theim selues doun ouer the walles in y^e night time vnwares to the seditious persons, the romains killed thē without. This euil therfore & distres encreased so lōg, till y^e people had deuoured al y^e euer crept on the earth frō y^e mouse to the spyder, frō the neuet to the wesel, wherfore a more greuous pestilēce folowed, wherof died innumerable emong the people of the lord, & there was noman to burye thē. Whan they chaūsed to find any dead hors or other beast in the toun, a man shuld see many Israelites striue & fight for it, so y^t in such cōtencions also very many were slain, in al points like to samisshed rauens lighting vpon a dead carcas. Therfore when dyuers men wyth their wiues and childrē gat out of the city to gather herbes to eat, and chaunsed emong the Romaines, the Romayns laid hold of the litle childrē, [Page]and killed thē saying: we wil dispatch these, lest whā they grow once to mās state, they make war vpon vs as their fathers do at this daye: so that manye whyche came out of the gates of the city now and then, the Romaines kil­led them & hanged them vpō galowes ouer against the gates of Ierusalem to the number of fiue hundreth. After the same maner Schimeon, Iehochanan & Eleasar delt wyth those Romaynes whom thei could by any trayn, catch, euen hanged them vp, vpō the walles. Whosoeuer also they coulde perceyue wold flee vnto the Romaynes, they hāged them lykewyse ouer the walles to the number of fyue hundreth. But Titus gaue cōmaūdemēts to al his sol­diors, that no man vpō paine of death shulde kyll anye of them that fled out of Ierusalem. For he tooke pitye of the Israelytes, & ceased not to speake frēdly & louingly to the Ierosolimites: so y^t he wēt yet once again to y^e walles, & spake vnto the Iewes on this sorte. Hear, I beseche you, y^e coūsel of Ioseph, [Page ccv]and come to me, that you may liue and not perishe vtterly. Spare your people, why wil you oppresse them vexed with honger, thirst, pestilēce, and besieging? But the sedicious hearing Titus speak, were wonderfully incensed, and inten­ded to adde mischiefe vppon mischiefe, handelyng yet more cruelly the people of God. Moreouer, they rayled at Titus to prouoke him to anger, that he might leaue of speakyng to the people, which had nowe almoste lefte their obedi­ence and feare of the sedicious: where­fore the sedicious aunswered vnto the Romaynes. It is better for vs to dys for honger and to bee killed in this af­fliction, so to come to the blisse & light we hope for: then to liue & see the most holy tēple of God defiled and destroied. When Titus sawe this, he commaun­ded an yron ramme to be set to the wal to batter it, that he might deliuer those pore wretches out of Schimeons, Elea­sar, and Iehochanans handes, who held thē in as captiues. At the same time as they erected that engine to the walle, it [Page]from the citizins. 2. Reg. 21. Likewise of Dauid our kinge we reade, how he entered a­lone into the campes of Gyantes, whi­che when Abisai brother of Ioab sonne of Seruia hearde: he wente after hym, and receiued vppon his target a stroke that a gyant let flie at Dauid, and killed the Gyaunt. But as concernynge A­lexander, we know that he wanne the citie by none other meanes then tho­rowe the sinnes of the inhabitauntes and them that dwelt therin. Likewise also at this present the sinnes of the Ierosolimites haue deliuered and saued thee from death, that thou mightest be a snare of distruction to them hereafter. Wherefore thou shalt vnderstand that the Romains haue done wisely to ab­staine from the assault at this tyme, be­cause they knew thei should haue to do with a moste valeaunt nacion, whiche thou hauyng so well tried, maiest reporte and testifye when thou arte asked the question.

AFter this, Titus deuided his whole armye, and laied them priuelye in ambushes round about the walles. He prepared moreouer foure Rammes of yron to batter the walles: of these one he planted vpō the side of the place cal­led Antochia, the engyn was thirty cu­bites longe. The same night captaine Iehochanan wyth his companye issued forth, and vndermined the ground vn­der the wheles of y^e wagons that bare the Ramme, puttynge pitched bordes oyled, and done ouer wyth brymstone, in the trenches vnder the wheles, and vnder the bordes they spreade leather, whiche likewise was smered and done ouer with pitche, oyle, and brimstone. Then they set fire vpō the bordes whi­che burned till they came to the fete of the Ramme, and thei once set afire and burnt, the engine fell vpon the watche that was appointed to kepe it beyng a slepe: and killed them. Wherat the Ro­mayns were much dismayed, and said. It is not possible we shold assault this citie hereafter, for they haue burnte all [Page]our engines of war wherwith we ha­ue subdued al other kingdoms, so that now of fifty yron rāmes whiche we brought with vs, we had but fyue left, and the seditions Iewes haue burnte thre of thē, what shal we now do? how shall we batter the walles hereafter? The Iewes vpon the walles, hearing their wordes, flouted them and lough them to scorne. Wherfore Titus incē ­sed with anger, commaunded thother three Rāmes to be addressed in y^e place of that which was brente. In y^e meane season whiles the Romaines were at work .iiii. yong men moued w^t a great zeele, whose names were first Thopa­tius, Galilaeus, then Megarus Chebroni­ta, the thirde Iorminus Schomronita & the fourth Arius Ierosolimita, these all armed, issued out into the camp of the Romains that then stoode about their thre engines & yrō rās, diuising how to batter the walles of the city: of whom, some those yong mē killed, y^e other fled. Then .ii. of thē stod at defence to kepe of all thē y^e approched nye the engine, while the other two, Ierosolimitanus & [Page ccviii] Schomronita daubed the timber with a certain mater which they had prepa­red to make it take fire, & streight way set fyre vpō thē, so y^e sodenly the rames were on a light fire. Then they al iiii. ioyned together withstood y^e Romains that they shuld not come at the engins to quenche the fyre. Schortly the rams fel doune and the Romaines stood a louf hurling stones and shooting thick at thē, for they were afraid to come nye them, bicause of theyr great fearcenes, although they were thre thousand mē y^e kept the rams, yet these four set no­thing by thē, nor neuer wēt of y^e groūd, til the rams were clene brent vp, shot the Romaines neuer so thick at them. Titus hearing of y^e valeātnes of these yong men & the harmes that they had done vnto the Romains: made spede w^t his hole hoste, to saue the rams frē the fyre & to apprehēd those yōg mē. Then fortwith issued out Schimeō Iehochanā & Eleasar captaines of y^e seditious with their souldiors, soūding their trōpetes, & made y^e Romains retyre, y^t thei could [Page]not come nie the fire, and so rescued the four yong men from the Romains that had enuironed them round aboute. In that skirmish were killed ten thousand men and fiue hundreth. Then gathe­red together al the whole armye of the Romains to assault the Iewes at once approching hard to the walles of Ierusalem, there thei cryed vnto the Iewes, saiyng: What? are ye Oren or goates, that you fight on this fashion vpon the walles? Will ye be taken in the midste of the citye like as oxen and goates are taken in their foldes? If ye be menne come forth, and let vs trie our manhode here in this plaine. But you by stealth and at vnwares set vppon theim that kepe our engines, snatching theim vp lyke as it were wolues shoulde snatch shepe, then run away into the towne, as the wolues run to y^e wode. If there he any manhod in you, behold we are redy here, come forth to vs, so many for so manye, and then wee shall see what end will come therof. When the cap­taynes of the seditious heard that, they [Page]spake vnto the warriours that were in Hierusalem: Whiche of you will go out with vs to these dogges, to shewe our force and stomackes for the sanctu­ary and citye of the Lorde? Then fiue hundreth tal felowes of their owne ac­corde issued out vpon the Romains so­dainely, slew .viii. M. men, and compel­led the reste to recule from the walles. The Romaines then wist what vale­antnes the Iewes had, for the Romai­nes were in nūber forty thousand figh­ting men, and the Iewes were onely fyue hundred, wherof not one of them was killed in that skirmish. The Ro­maines a far of shot at the Iewes and hurled stoones, to whome the Iewes said: come hither to vs, are not you thei y^e called vs forth & prouoked vs to come to you? Why come ye not nowe neare? You go about to driue vs awaye with arowes and stones. What? do ye think vs to be dogs, and that we are afraied of your stones? Are we not men? Yea, we are your maisters & betters, for ye runne away from vs, as seruantes flee [Page]from theyr masters, when they folow them, to beat them.

TItus seing his army part to be fled, and part to be slain, he cryed to his people saing, is it not a shame for you ye Romains, & a wonderful great dis­honour, to flee frō the Iewes, so hūgar beatē, famished, almost dead for thirst, & beseged? Alas, how shal ye put away this your rebuke & ignominy, whē as al nations, whiche heretofor, ye haue most valeātly subdued, shall here y^e ye flee frō these dead Iewes, whose hole land we haue in possession, so that they haue nothing left but this onely toun, whiche we haue also so batterd, that they haue but one onelye walle to de­fend them? Besydes this, they are very few, we are innumerable, they haue no nation to ayde them, we haue help of al landes, why then do ye flee from theyr sight, lyke as the smale impotent birdes flee frō the egle? What though the Iewes vowe and hassard them sel­ues desperatly for theyr temple and [Page ccx]land, why do not you the same also in these warres, to get you a renowne of valeantnes? Thus the Iewes preuay­led that day, and had the vpper hand, wherfore they returned into the toune wyth great glory, hauing put the Ro­mains to so great a foyle. Titus com­maunded his to addresse and prepare the two other rammes that were left, to batter the walles of Ierusalē with­all. Wherfore the Romane carpēters caste a trenche to prepare and sette vp the Rams wythin it, in suche place as Titus had assigned them. The Iewes were ware of it well enough, but win­ked at the matter as yet vntyll they had planted the master bemes be­twene the standinge postes. So when the worke was fynished, euen to the hangyng vp of the engynes betwixt the standynge postes, to shake the walle wythall, the Romaynes beynge secure, nothing mystrustinge that the Iewes would sturre, bycause they had ben quiet a few nightes & neuer issued [Page]forth of the citie. Vpon a certain night a prety while before daye, the thre prin­cipall capitaines of the sedicious came and cast their heades together to deuise what they shoulde dooe. Eleasar gaue this counsaile, and saied: You two the laste tyme issued oute, burnte three Rammes, and gate you renoune, and I kepte the gates the whyle: now kepe ye the gates, and I wyll issue out with my menne againste the Romaynes to get me a name also. The other answe­red. Go then a Gods name vnto them, the Lord God of the sanctuary whicke is in Hierusalem shall be present with thee, but beware thou be not slaine, and in any wise thou be not takē aliue. To whom he aunswered: the Lorde God shall kepe me, for vpon the trust of the rightuousnesse of my father Anani the hie prieste, and his sincere seruice vnto god, wil I set vpon thē. Eleasar therfore chose an hundred valiant souldiours & with them he issued oute of the towne before day. The same night y^e Romains hadde made fires about their engines [Page ccxi]where thei watched bicause of the cold. The artificers & souldiours that kept watch and warde about the Ramms, were in number a hundreth and fifty. The daye was the. 27. of the moneth of Kislef, Nouēver. which was the ninth moneth that Titus had besieged Ierusalem. Ele­asar & his companye thus beinge issued out, came & found some of y^e Romains snorting about y^e fires, other watching in their wardes, killed thē all, that not one remained. Then some of Eleasars cōpany set fire vpon the Rams, burnt the standinge postes, roapes, cheynes, & other instruments of warre. The ar­tificers that were there they catched aliue and burnte them, so that no man escaped. When it was daye, Titus was aware of the Smooke of the fire mountyng vp very foule, and stin­king of the woode & men together, he drew towardes the place therfore with his hoast, to see what the matter was. Eleasar in the meane season and hys company, toke as they might get, eue­rye man a piece of the engines oute of [Page]the fyre, or some of theyr heades that they hadde killed and retourned with great ioy, flouting the Romaines and laughing them to skorn, by the waye til they came to the gates of Ierusalē, wher they were receiued of Schimeon and Iehochanan with great honor.

SOne after this came many soldiors & great bandes of mē, out of all na­tions y^t were subiect to the Empyre of the Romains, to ayd Titus, to whome Titus declared what had hapened him in y^e siedg, the stoutnes of the Iewes, & how they had anoyed many waies the Romain army, adding moar ouer and asking them, dyd ye euer see four men withstād ten thousand & fyue hunderd, so y^t they al together could nether ouer throw thē nor take thē prisoners? but the four slew the other, lyke as it had ben tops of cucumers smitē of w^t most sharp swordes, when they hard this, they wōderd all very much. Then Ti­tus spake vnto his hoste & to thē which wer newly repaired vnto him, to shew their aduise & best coūsell what was to be don, least we shuld be shamed (saith [Page ccxii]he) before al thē y^e shall herafter heer of our wars. The grauist & most aunciēt of the nations that were newly come to his ayde, answered. If it plese your maiestie let y^e Romains breath a while & take theyr rest, which are now we­ried with y^e sundry batayls of y^e Iewes, & we who are not so brokē with labor but freshe and lusty shall try what the Iewes cā do, we cā not think y^t they arable to withstād so great a multitude. But y^e princes of the Romains desired Titus y^t he wold not permit them this, lest he shuld encrese theyr oune sorow­es, if peraduēture they shuld be discōfi­ted (say they) of y^e Iewes, & the matter redound vnto our shame. For if we which are acquainted with thē & know their maner of fight can not susteyne their violence, how shal they do it y^e ne­uer had profe of the strength & force of y^e Iewes. They shalbe to thē, like Isop which groweth vpō y^e walles in cōpa­rison of y^e ceder trees of Libanus. Tho­ther said, nay, thei shuld do wel enough with thē, & they vrged Titus so instātly [Page]& dishonor retourned vnto Titus, who reprehended them bycause they would not beleue the Romaines. The nexie day folowing the Iewes brought forth the thre thousand nobles and gentle­men that thei had taken prisoners and plucked out of euery one of them an eye, and cut of of euery man the toon hand, after sent them back with shame & reproche to Titus camp. Then Titus consulted with all hys princes, what were best to doo with the Israelites: & when euery man had sayd his mind, he liked neuer a mans coūsel, but said vnto them. Well I haue deuised thys with my selfe, whyche I will folow, and no man shall bring me frome my purpose: we will kepe the siedge with­oute any assaulte or skermishe, for theyr victuales fayled them long agoo, and so they shalbe famished. Besides thys, when they shall see vs cease to fyght wyth them, they wyll fall at variaunce emongst them selues and kyll one an other. Thys counsell was [Page ccxiiii]thought good of all Titus Pryn [...]es, wherfore they beseged the toune as Titus commaunded, and closed vp all the wayes of the Cytye rounde a­boute, leaste the Iewes shuld as they had done before, come vpon them at vnwares. They appoynted more o­uer, watche daye and nyght, to take heed that no man shoulde come out of the towne to gather herbes for theyr sustenance. Then encreased the hun­gar in Ierusalem, whych if it had not bene so greuous, the Citye had neuer bene wonne: for the souldiors of the toune were lyghter then Egles and fearcer then Lyones. There dyed therefore of the famin wonderfull manye of the Ierosolomites, so that the Iewes coulde not fynde place to burye them in, they were so manye in euery place of the toune. Many caste theyr dead folkes into theyr welles and tumbled in them selues after and dyed, many also made them selues graues, & went into them alyue, [Page]where they taried day and nyght, and dyed vnmourned for. For all mour­ning and customed lamentacion for the dead was lefte of, bycause of y^e vn­mesurable famin, which was so great that it can not be tolde, and I can not reherse the thousand parte of the mis­chief that folowed of y^e hungar. Titus seyng the innumerable carcasses of the dead that were cast into the broke Kidron lyke dong, was wonderfully amased with feare, and stretched out his handes toward heauen, saing: lord God of heauen and earth, whome the Israelites beleue in, clense me from this sinne, whyche surely I am not the cause of, for I required peace of them, but they refused it, and they thē selues are longe of thys mischeif, they haue sinned againste their owne soules and lyues. I besech thee reken it not to me for a sinne, that the Iewes dye on this fashion.

AT that tyme certain wicked per­sones of Ierusalem slaundered A­mittai the priest falsly, saing to captain [Page ccxv] Schimeon, behold Amittai y^e hye priest which did let thee into the citye, goeth aboute to flee to the ten [...]es of the Ro­maines. Thou haste experience of hys great wit and craft, how he also kno­weth al the secret wayes vnto y^e toun, temple, and sanctuary, and who can tell whyther he wil bring the Romai­nes some night at midnight into the city? Therfore Schimeon sent certayn to fetch Amittai and his foure sonnes vnto him. They y^u were sent, brought Amittai & but three of his sonnes, for one was fled to the Romaines & came to Ioseph. Amittai with the other, when he came to Schimeons presence, he besought hym not to lyue, but that he might be put to death by & by, least he shulde lyue to see the death of hys childrē. But Schimeon was hard har­ted and wolde not be intreated, for it was Gods will that Amittai shuld be punished, bycause he was the bringer of Schimeon into Ierusalem, & therfore fel he into his handes, which for good, rewarded him with euill. Schimeon [Page]commaunded a sorte of murtherers to place Amittai vpon the walles, in the syght of the Romaynes, and sayde vnto hym: seest thou Amittai? why doo not the Romaynes delyuer and rescue the oute of my handes, the I say whyche woldest haue fled away vnto them? Amittai answered nothing to thys, but still besought hym that be­fore hys death he might kisse hys son­nes & bid them fare wel: but Schimeon vtterly denied hym. Wherfore Amit­tai wept a loude, sayng to hys sonnes, I brought, deare chyldren, I brought thys thiefe into thys toun, wherefore I am counted nowe for a thiefe my selfe: all thys mischyefe whyche is co­med vpon me and you, it is myne own doynge, bycaufe I brought this seditious villain into this holy City. I thought then, perauenture he wil­be a helpe to the toune, but it is nowe proued contrarye, for he hathe bene a moste cruell enemy of the same. It was not enough for vs to kepe one [Page ccxvi]seditious person, Iehochanan I mean, whyche tooke vnto hym Eleasar the fyrste begynner of sedition: but I muste bringe in also thys wycked Schimeon, whyche is ioyned to oure fooes to destroye vs. In deed I neuer brought him in for any loue y^t I bare vnto hym, but all the Priestes and the hoole multitude of the people sent me to fetche hym, notwithstanding I am worthy of this iuste iudgement of God, bycause I tooke vpon me suche an ambasage. What shoulde I speake of thee thou moste wycked Schimeon, for whyther so euer thou turnest thee, thou bringst all thinges out of frame. In deed thou dealest iustly with me, bi­cause I haue sinned vnto God, to his people and his citye, in that I haue brought the in, to be a plage to it. Wherefore I were worthy to be stoo­ned: notwithstanding it had bene thy parte, thou wycked murtherer to de­liuer me and my sonnes frome the hādes of the other seditions, for I haue [Page]wrought them displeasure, but to thee haue I done good. Howbeit our God will not altar nor chaunge his iudg­mentes, whyche is, that I shuld fall into the sword of thy hand, for that I made thee to enter into this city, wher in I offended God greuously. If euer I had purposed to flee vnto the Ro­maynes, could I not haue done it be­fore euer I brought in thee? for at that tyme barest thou no rule ouer vs. And before we called in thee, Iehocha­nan with his sedition was an offence vnto this city, wherfore wee perswa­ded all the anuncient of the toun, that thou shuldest be an ayde vnto vs, to dryue out our foes, but thou in whom we put our trust, arte become our ene­mye: yea, thou haste been worse then they, for the other put men to death pryuily, thou doest it openly. Who is he that hath strengthened the power of y^e Romains? art not thou he? which hast killed the souldiers of God in the middest of thys citye Ierusalem? for fewe haue bene slayn wythoute. Titus [Page]woulde haue made peace with vs, ta­king pitie vpon vs, but that same di­dest thou let and hinder, euery daye mouing new warres and stiring new battailes. Titus gaue charge to hys souldi [...]rs to laye no handes vpon the temple, but thou hast polluted and de­fyled the temple of the Lorde, sheding bloud without measure in the middes thereof. Titus went back from vs vpon the holy daye of the Lorde and ceased from fighting, saying, go and obserue your holy feastes in peace, but thou vnhalowedst the feast of the Lord and leshedst out the continuall fyre wyth innocent bloud. Al these euilles which thou hast committed, thou murtherer, at imputed vnto me, bicause I brought the into the toune. Now therfore this bengeaunce is appointed to mine age of the lord God, and by thy hādes shall I goo to my graue with sorow, bicause I by my foolishnes, was a doar in this mischief that is wrought by thee. Al­beit now thou wicked Schimeon; in this that thou killest me, before mine [Page]eyes may see the burnynge of the temple, it pleaseth me very well, but whanedeth thee thou murtherer to put my sonnes to death before my face, whye doest thou not spare mine age? Would God that like as I shall not se the bur­ning of the temple, so also I might not see the bloud of my children shed before my face. But what shal I dooe when God hath deliuered me into the hands of a most wicked man? Wee that were the auncients of Hierusalem abhorre [...] Iehochanan because he murthered olde men without al reuerence, but he slew no yonge men: thou destroyest [...]ld and yonge, greate and small, without anye pitte or mercye. Iehochanan m [...]u [...]ned for the dead, and buried them also: thou playest vpon instrumentes at their bu­rials, singest to the Lute, and seundest the trumpet. Then spake he to Schimeons seruaunte, who was ready with a swerde in his hande, and an are to kyll hym, and to cutte of his heade, saiynge: Goe to nowe, and execute Schimeons thy masters commaundement: be head [Page]Sonnes in sighte of their father, and let mee heare the voyce of cruelrye in my sonnes, whyche notwithstandynge I forgeue thee. For as I shall see and heare that againste my wyll: so I dare saye thou killest them not willynglye. Woulde God that Schimeon woulde suffer mee to kysse my Sonnes, and whyles I am aliue, to embrace theim or they dye. But thou gentle minister, in one thinge shewe thy pitie towards me, that when thou hast put my sōnes and mee to execution, seperate not our bodies, nether ley in sunder their corses from mine: but so, that my bodye may [...] lye vppermost and couer theirs, to de­fende them from the foules of the ayre, lest they deuour my sonnes bodyes, for it maye fortune they maie be buried. I beseche thee also that my mouth and tongue when I am deade may [...]ouche my sonnes faces, that so I maye both embrace and kysse theim. But what do I delay or tarye any lenger, seynge the enemy denyes me this, to kisse thē [Page]whyles we are yet aliue? See thou therefore that our bodies be not seue­red, and if Schimeon will not permit this, that our bodies may be ioyned in this world, yet can he not let our souls to be ioyned, for after I shalbe once dead, I doubt not but I shall see the lyght of the Lord. His sonnes hearing their fathers wordes began to wepe very sore with theyr father, who sayd vnto them. Alas my sonnes why wepe ye? what auayleth teares? why doo ye not rather go before me, and I wil fo­low as I maye, for what should I do now, seyng God hath geuen me into the handes of a moste cruel tirant, who spareth nether mine age nor youre youthe? But I truste we shall lyue to­gether in the light of the lord, and al­though I can not be suffred now to see you enough, yet when we shall come thyther we shalbe satisfied with beholding one another. Go ye therefore my dear sonnes and prepare vs a place. O that I might goo before you, the lorde knoweth, I would doo it gladly. But [Page ccxix]ye my sonnes, maruell neuer at thys that is chaunced vnto vs, for it is no new thing, suche lyke hath happened before this in the time of the Chasmo­nanites, when as Antiochus bi his wickednes put to death the seuen brethern yong men, in the sight of theyr mother whiche was a righteous and a godly woman, who chaunced to find this mercy at the lordes handes, that she might kisse her sonnes and embrase them, as they also kist one an other be­fore they died. Al thei wer put to death by the crueltye of the vncircumcised king of the Macedonians, yet obteined they that which is denied at this daye to vs y^e are put to death by Schimeon, who hathe the name of an Israelite, who beareth also the couenaunte of oure father Abraham in his flesh. And would God it mighte fortune vs to liue in their inne or place of reast, whi­che al be it it wil not be graunted, yet we shalbe their neighboures, seinge that we also die for the law of y^e lord. Therfore be of good comfort my sōnes [Page]and lament not for my sake, for I iudg this my miserie easier, and not so great as the cala [...]itie of Zidkiahu, whose sonnes were firste killed, then his eyes put out by the king of Chal [...]ea, and he liued man [...] yeres after: we are so much the more happier in my minde, because we shal dye together. Then said Amit­tai to Schimeons seruaunte whiche should kill him. Make spede I pray thee and kil me first before my children die, then after kill them also that we maye die together, for so it is more expedient for vs then to se the temple of the lord tourned into a butcherye or slaughter­house to slea men in. After cryed he vn­to God, saiyng: I beseche thee, O Lord God most high, whiche dwellest in the hyest, iudge this Schimeon accordynge to his works, reward him according to his deseruings. For thou art the god almighty, & dreadful, let not this thief die therfore amongst the people of thy pa­sture, but y^t his death maye be seuered frō the death of other men, let him dye a horrible and a sodayne death, that he [Page]haue no time to confesse his sinne [...], and to returne him selfe to thee, that thou maiest receiue him (for thou art wont [...] to receiue theim whiche turne to thee by repentaunce) for he is not worthy of repentaunce, which hath spoyled & wa­sted many goodly thinges in thy tēple, besides that, hath murdered most holye men in the same. To thintent therfore that thy iudgementes may be declared in him, I beseche thee make him to be taken of his enmies, together with his wife, children, and family, & al that euer loue him. Nether geue vnto his soul a­ny part with the people of god, nor let his porcion be with the iust men in thy sanctuary, for he is vnworthy of thē, bi­cause he hath not only sinned him self, but hath caused Israel to sinne. Wher­fore let his iudgmēt & sentence go forth frō thy sight, y^t he may se his wife, chil­dren, & his hole house led into captiuity & bōdage before his face. Afterward let him die a straunge death, such as neuer mā herd of, let him be kild of must cru­el men, which whē thei haue smitē him [Page]may after quarter him also whiles he is yet aliue, and that he may see his go into bondage. Let him also be a curse before al that shall see him. More ouer let him perceiue that my wordes and desteny is better then his, when as I go vnto thee, in that great light, which he shalbe depriued of. After these wor­des Amittai said to the seruaunt, who was appointed to kill him, I beseche thee, let me finde so much fauour atthy handes, that when thou hast slain my Sonnes, thou wouldest kill me with the same sworde, while it is yet wet with the bloud of my sonnes, that our bloud may be mingled, and this maye be a recreation to my soule, Kil me al­so in the sighte of the Romaines, that they maye auenge me and my sonnes vpon this most cruell Schimeon, they shalbe witnesses againste him, that I was not their frende. But would God my matters were all in that state as they were before, for then should they perceiue me to be an ennemye of Schi­meons, and a frend of theirs▪ Woulde [Page ccxxii]God I had withstanded Schimeon at the first so earnestly, as I made warre vpō the Romaines, that I might haue auoided his cruelty from the people of God: when he had said al these things he prayed before god almighty, saying. O God which dwellest in the highest, thou only art most mighty and fearful open now the eyes of thy iudgements, consider and iudge betwixt me, and se­ditious Schimeon, whose malice is be comen vnmeasurable vpon the people of God, that he whiche sheadeth the bloude of them that feare thee in the midst of the temple, may be rebuked of thee with thy rebukinges according to his workes, make spedy vengaunce, & prolonge not, and that for the deathes sake of thy saintes: for thy iudgemētes are the iudgementes of truthe. Then Schimeon gaue commaundemente to four cut throtes of his, that thre of thē should kil Amittais thre sonnes before their fathers face, & the fourth shoulde kil Amittai him self: and so the blud of the sonnes was mixte with the blud of [Page]their father. Afterwarde Schimeons seruaunte tooke the bodye of Amittai: and layde it vppon the bodyes of hys sonnes, as his desire was, then tum­bled them ouer the walles. After that commaunded Schimeon that Chana­nehu y^e hie priest shuld be put to death, whose bodye was caste vnto the bo­dies of Amittai and his sonnes. Ari­stius also the scribe, one of the noble men of Ierusalem was killed at the same time: and ten mo iust men of his kinred and house because they mur­ned for the deathe of Aristius. It fortu­ned while Schimeon was a killing of those ten, certaine substantial rich men passed by, and were wonderfullye a­mased when they sawe the thynge, sayinge one to an other. Howe longe wyll God suffer the malice of Schi­meon, and wyll not searche oute the bloude of iuste menne, nor reuenge them? Certain seditious persons hea­ringe this, tolde it vnto Schimeon, who commaunded them to be appre­hended and murthered the same daye. [Page ccxxii]After this, there passed by a leuen of the noble men of Ierusalem, whiche seinge two and fortye innocentes to be put to deathe by Schimeon, they lift vp their eyes to the heauens, and said: O Lord god of Israel, how longe wilt thou hold thy hande, and kepe in thine anger againste these transgres­soures of thy wil? whiche whan Schi­meon heard of: he commaunded them to be apprehended, and killed them with his owne handes. Eleasar the sonne of Anani the prieste seinge the malice & wickednes of Schimeon to be great, that he made away the iust and godly men of the city, & that there was no hope left: he toke y^e toure of Ierusa­lē, remained in it, & kept it with his. Ie­hudas also a captaine ouer a M. men, whiche kepte a turret y^e Schimeon had made to put iust and godly men in, gat him vp vpon the top of the walles, and cried to y^e Romains, if perauēture they would deliuer him & the rest that were at Ierusalē. Wherfore he wēt about to escape with his. M. men that he had [Page]could I euer haue loked that I should haue ouer liued my sōne, & that I shuld not be suffred to see him & to burt him? I had trusted he shuld haue buried me, and that he should haue bene a help to me in mine age, and when my whole family by the seditious was almooste made away & extinguished: yet I said, this shal cōsort me. Now therfor what shal I do, when I haue none left to cō ­fort me of al my children that I bare, for betwene the seditious and the gen­tiles oure ennemies, they haue slaine, xviii. sonnes that I had, & what shal I do now frō henstorth, but couet death? for I desire not to liue nowe anye lon­ger. And how shuld. I receiue any con­solation whan I see my sonne dead, & I cā not bury him? Lord that I might die by and by, for I can not liue anye longer sence my sonne Ioseph is dead. She wente vp yet farther vppon the wals, till she came to the turret where her husbande was in prison, & stretch out her hands toward heauen, criynge with a loud voice: O my sonne Ioseph, [Page ccxxiiii]my sonne where art thou, come & speke vnto me & comforte me. The seditious hearing her, laught her to scorne: but the Romains when they hard her, and knew of Ioseph that it was his mo­ther, they wepte & lamented her case, & manye of the Iewes also that were in Hierusalem, but they were faine to re­frain it, lest they shuld be perceiued of Schimeons cruel cutthrotes, Then Io­sephes mother said to the seditious that were by her vpō the walles, why do ye not kil me also which bare Ioseph my sonne, and nurst him with these brests? ye ennemies of the Lorde haue mur­thered him with other iust and righte­ous men, why kill ye not me also? God be iudge betwixte me and you that hau [...] killed my sonne giltlesse. The se­ditious answered her, canst thou not if thou liste, fall downe ouer the wal and dye [...] we will geue thee good leaue. When thou haste done so, the Ro­maines shall take thee vp, and burye thee honorably, because that thou arte Iosephes mother, who is their frende. [Page]She answered, how shoulde I do this euil vnto my selfe, to kil my selfe, and constreine my soule to go forthe of my bodye, before that God do cal it? If I should do so, I shoulde haue no hoope left in the world to come, for no bodye wil burye them, whome they perceiue to haue killed them selues. These and such like, while she reasoned wiselye, the seditious heard and mocked her. Wherfore she wept the more aboun­dantlye, so that the Romaines and o­ther godly men, hearing her wisdome, could not abstein from weping. Ioseph when he hard his mother speake, he gate on armour, and approched to the walle, accompanied with moste vale­aunt Romaines, to defende him from the arrowes of the Iewes, and spake to his mother. Fear not my deare mo­ther, nor take no thought for me, for I haue escaped the handes of the sediti­ous, God hath not suffred me to come into their handes. Wherefore I haue hard the wordes of those wicked coun­selloures that aduised thee to kill thy [Page]selfe, and thine aunswere agayne to them, whiche before thou gauest them I knew thou wouldest aunswere. God forbid I say, God forbid that Iosephes mother and the wise of Gorion should consente to the councell of the wicked. Wherfore (my dear mother) be content and beare the yoke of the sedicious pa­tiently, and humble thy self before thē. Neuer striue against the miseries and calamities of this time, vvhich thou canst not alter nor remedy. For they shal pe­rishe, but we shall stand and continue.

THere were certaine men of Hieru­salem at that time that came to the Gates, ouercame the warde, and gate out with their wiues and children, and so escaped to the Romaynes, because they could no lenger abide the famine and the iniquity of the sedicious. They were faythful citizins and of great au­ctoritie, whom when Ioseph heard of, be brought to passe that Titus spared them and receiued them to mercy. For Iosephe bare witnesse and reported for [Page]them that they were noble men of Ie­rusalem. Wherfore the Romayns re­ceiued theim, and gaue them fode and sustenaunce, but certain of them could not brouke nor take it because of their great honger wherwith they had bene longe pined, and when the meat went downe into their bealyes, they dyed straight. And their little children when thei sawe breade, they fell vpon it and toke it in dede with their teeth, but thei were not able to chew it, and dyed hol­ding the breade betwixt their teeth. Ti­tus seing them dye when they tasted of meate, had ruthe and compassion vpon them, and was very sorye, saiyng vnto Ioseph. What shal I do for thy people, which assone as they beginne to eate, dye straight way? Iosephe aunswered. My Lorde, I remember I haue seene thys experience that they whiche fast longe, and after woulde take meate, fyrste they drinke a little sodden milke, or elsse eate of a certayne Corne called Simill sodden in mylke, wherewyth they strenghthen their bowelles before [Page ccxxvi]they toke meate: specially such as wal­ked through wildernesses, whose bow­els were longe empty when they came to places inhabited and founde meate, they were wonte to vse this meanes. Therfore Titus commaunded his men to do as Ioseph bad them, wherby ma­ny of the Iewes recouered, and many dyed of the flyre. These Iewes whiche were escaped thus out of Hierusalē to the campes of the Romayne, had swa­lowed vp first their gold siluer, & preci­ous stones to hide thē, least thei should be found of the sedicious. They there­fore whyche recouered and brouked meate, when they woulde satisfye na­ture, thei went alone out of the campe, & after sought their gold & siluer, & precious Stones, whiche were disgested in their excrementes, and so did they eue­rye daye. At length certaine Aramites and Arabians espiynge the Iewes to vse this fashion, tolde it amongst their fellowes one to an other, and made a conspyracye to laye wayte for the Iewes, and whom so euer that they [Page]gate, they ript their bealies to finde the Goulde and other iewels whiche the Iewes hadde hidde there. And by this meanes the Aramites and Arabians had murdered two thousand Iewes. But when Titus heard of this, he was wonderfull wrothe, and commaunded them to be apprehended that had done this wicked dede, & to be put to deathe, whose goodes wer geuen to the Iewes that remayned aliue. They that were put to deathe for this facte, were two thousande Aramites and Arabians to­gether. After this Titus seing his prin­ces and captayns to haue decked their armoure with gold and siluer, some of them also to beare golden scepters, and some of siluer, wyth other ornamentes vpon their heades, he called them toge­ther and said vnto them. Laye awaye this geare, these thinges are they that prouoked the Aramites and Arabians to woorke this wyckednesse againste these pore and miserable Iewes which fledde forthe vnto vs, that they myghte liue vnder our pretection. The Capi­taynes [Page ccxxvii]therfore and princes of the Ro­maynes hearynge the commaunde­met of Titus, were obedient, & straight laied away from them those ornamen­tes of golde and siluer. Titus also gaue commaūdement that the rest of the A­rabians and the Aramites shoulde be banished the campe, and that no man hereafter should commit any such hey­nous dede agaynste the Iewes. Not­withstandynge when as any Aramite or Arabian coulde get any Iewe farre out of the campe that no man see it, he killed hym. Of the Romaynes in the campe, no man either did or saide anye euyll to the Iewes, saue certayne vn­godlie Ruffians whiche hadde learned at the Aramites and Arabians those euill and wicked pranckes: for they al­so when they chaunced to mete wyth any Iewe out of the Campe, if there were no man by, they killed him, and toke away his gold and siluer that lay hydde in his bowelles. When thys came to Titus eare: he commaunded to make Proclamacion in this wyse. [Page]Whosoeuer he be y^t hath seue, heard, or knowē any thing of this horrible dede which is cōmitted of certain Romains vpō the Iewes, or whosoeuer hath done any such thing him self: let him come & make relatiō to Titus, which if he do, the matter shal be forgeuen hym, if not, he shall beare the burden of his owne wi­ckednesse and stande at his pearyll, if anye thinge be proued by him hereaf­ter. Therefore certayne Romaynes which knew with thē selues that they hadde committed the dede, and beinge afrayed of Titus, reasoned wyth theim selues thus: if we do not confesse vnto hym the truth, he will by his wisdome searche out these offendours, and pu­nishe them by death. Wherefore tru­stynge vnto Titus wordes of the Pro­clamation, they came all, who so euer had either done it hym selfe, or knowen other to do it, & declared it vnto Titus saiynge: This haue I done, this haue I knowen, this was I accessarye vnto, and haue not hitherto made thee pri­uy therunto. There were of thē in nū ­ber [Page ccxxviii].ccc. and .xx. men y^e made this confes­siō, al those Titus cōmaunded to be cast into hoate Ouens, and to be burned. This done, the Iewes were more safe euer after in the Romaynes Campe without all ieopardye, no manne hur­tyng thē either in word or dede. Yea, if anye Romayne founde a Iewe a­broade wanderyng, he conducted hym gentilly and peaceably into the campe. There was a certayn scribe of Hieru­salē at that tyme, a faithful mā, whose name was Menachen, son of Seruk the scribe, whose aunceters had serued Es­dras the scribe of worthi memory in Ba­bilon, he being a keper of the least gate which was in Ierusalē vpon y^e side to­ward y^e broke Kidron, noted the nūber of the dead y^t were caried forth to buri­yng bi that gate, & found thei came to a 115. M. 8. C. and. 8. persons, which were al of the nobles & gētilmen, or at y^e least of the substāciallest of the Iewes. Titus on a tyme (Ioseph being present) asked the questiō of those princes of the Iew­es which were fled vnto him, saiynge: [Page]w^t their companies against y^e Romains and fiue very manye of them in that skirmishe. Wherfore Titus saide, it is not wisdō to fight with thē any more, but rather with the Ram to shake and batter the wall, for they haue no mo but this wal left, and so we may bring in our hole host at once vpon them and subdue the seditious. This counsel of Titus was liked of all the princes and people. The captaines of the seditious mistrusting no lesse then the Romains intended, that they woulde be occupied hereafter in battering their walle, be­gan to build a countermure within o­uer againste the places where the Ro­mains wrought with their Ram, whi­che was in the plaine, by the tombe of Iochanan the hie priest, for there was none other place besides y^t they might come vnto with their Ram. And there the Romains had made .ii. breches in y^e two other walles before. The seditious made this countermure, because they were not able to burn y^e iron Ram, as thei had done before, being now almost [Page ccxxx]famished & so pined away y^t they could scarfe stand vpon their legs, for if they had bene so lusty as they were before, & able to set a fire thengins, y^e Romains had neuer bene able to win the town, but shuld haue bene cōpelled to leaue y^e assault, as they were cōstreined to geue ouer skirmishing & fighting. On a cer­tain time whē the Romains fled, y^e se­ditious pursuing killed many of them, they said: y^e Romains wil once be wea­ry, leue of their sege & go their waies, y^e we mai dwel at liberti, & turn to y^e lord our god. And whē thei returned at this time or at any time prosperousli into y^e town, they oppressed y^e people y^e more: cruelly exacting fode of them, & saiyng, gene vs meat, if ye wil not, we wil eat your flesh & your sonnes. But the Ro­maines toke courage to them selues, determined to fight stoutlye, and saide one to an other, let vs sticke to it harde and be valeant in our fightes, it shalbe shame for vs to fle from these feble and hunger starued Iewes, which are more like deade persones then liuinge. [Page]Therfore they began more earnestlye to set vppon the walles and to make a battery sodenly, they bet down a great parte of that inner wall whyche the Iewes had newly erected, and gaue a great shout, saiyng: Ierusalem is won, we haue gotten the town. But when they loked a litle further, they espied an other countermure raised ouer against the breche. Wherfore y^e Iewes throu­ghe the town gaue also a great shout, & sounded their trōpets, reioysing that they had builded another new coūter­mure for that which was batred doun. The same was in captain Iehochanās ward. The Romains seing the coūter­mu [...]e, & bearing the Iewes make such triumphs in the town: wer much asto­nied, al their ioy was dashed & turned into dumpes, so that they could not tel what they shoulde do with that stub­burn people of Ierusalem whyche had done thē such damages. The Romains set vpō the town again an other way, whome Titus willed rather to remoue thengin, & bende it to the newe walle, [Page ccxxxi]whiles it was yet grene and vnsetled, saiyng: let vs batter it, and we shal see it fal by and by, and then shal we enter the towne. The Romaine captaines folowed not Titus counsel, but scaled the wals which they had battred. The Iewes defending their countermure, fought with the Romains within the breche, repuised them from the wal & the town: & so hauing abated much the strength of the Romaines, returned to their lodginges. Then said some of the Romaines, we wil neuer besiege this towne anye longer, for we shal not be able to get it whiles we liue. And ther fore let vs breke vp and depart before we be al destroied with this siege, for excepte we do so, we shal al be confu­med therin. Titus seing his souldiours to make so hard a matter of y^e winning of the towne, called them al together and said vnto them. Tel me nowe ye Romaine princes, do ye not know that all vvarres and other businesses vvhat­so euer they be: are more harde, and re­quire greater diligence in the end, then [Page]in the beginning? in which who so tra­uail, if they faint in thend, do they not labour in vaine? euen as your laboure shalbe in vain, if ye geue ouer the sege now. Consider a ship, whan it hath cō ­passed the hole sea, and is now readye to arriue at the shore, beinge troubled with a tempest, if the mariners shuld then be negligent, the ship may easely be lost, & al they which are in it perish, the mariners disapointed of their pur­pose, in that they shal not atteine vnto the place whiche they coueted to come vnto. Like wise builders if they finishe not their worke, but leue of afore they make an end: is not al their labour lost and spent in vaine? Husband men also if they til their grounde, and then so we it with seede: shall they not loose theyr paines, vnlesse they will also mowe it? In like manner, you haue foughten verye longe againste this citye, manye Princes of you and worthy men haue bene slaine, and now you maye see the strongest walles of the town are brokē and made equal with thearth, the peo­ple [Page ccxxxii]your aduersaries is consumed with hūger, pestilence & sword. What shal it then auaile you al that euer you haue done, if you slake your diligence, and wil not finishe the worke of the sege? haue you not then employed your la­bour in vain? And why shuld this new wal so dismay you? ye whye do ye not prepare your selues to beate downe this new wal, which is muche sclende­rer then thother three that ye haue cast downe? If so be it ye should determine to leaue of the sege, had it not ben bet­ter for you to haue done it at the be­ginning, whiles your armye was yet whole? Nowe, when as your are few, & your most valiaunte soudioures slaine: why do you not rather chuse to die thē to liue? Did not you once enter thys towne, in the time of Nero Cesar, to defende his name? Nowe therefore when Vaspasian my father reigneth, who is not onlye of greater power then Nero, but also more gentle to­warde you then euer was Cesar, if you shoulde abate and slake youre [Page]endeuoure and diligence: it shoulde be to your greate shame and reproche. Whye take ye not ensample of these Iewes valeantnesse, whome nowe al­readye, sworde, pestilence, and famine hath wasted, so that they haue ne hope left: neuerthelesse they fighte still and neuer geue it ouer. Do you not se eue­ry day, how some of them issue oute of the towne, and boldly assaile the Ro­maines, not without se [...]pardy of their liues, in so muche that sometimes they die for it? Whiche thinges they do for none other cause then to get thē praise and renowne for their great prowesse. When as Titus had wel debated these thinges and suche lyke in the eares of his souldi [...]ures: a certain valeant man named Sabianus said vnto his felowes. Who so dare go wyth me to assaulte theese Iewes, let hym come hither to me, that we may fulfil the commaun­dement of Cesars sonne our Lorde and master. And forthwith he toke his tar­get and his drawne sword in his hād, made toward the towne with a .xi. tall [Page]fellowes followynge him, whose valiauntnesse and courage Titus wō ­dered at greatlye. The Iewes kepte their warde vppon that parte of the wall, where the Komaines had had a repulse of late: so when they sawe Sabianus and his companye draw faste towarde theim, they began to assayle him with stones and arrowes, but Sabianus settinge light at them, vrged the Iewes. Shortlye one of the Iewes met with him, and gaue him suche a blow that he felled him to the ground: yet he gate vp againe and foughte for all that wounde mansully, as one that had rather leaue his life then the fight, till an other Israelite came & flue him out righte. Three also of his fellowes were killed fighting valeauntly in the place, thother .viii. returned to the cāpe so sore woūded, that they died the next daye euerye one. Further, other Ro­mains seing Sabianus act, & studiyng to do the like: the next nighte they toke a counsell vppon a tweniye of theim, and agreed to assaulte the towne. [Page]This their enterprise whē they vttered to the standarde bearer of Titus, he and many other of the Romains went with them. They al scaling together & clam­mering vp by the breches, gat vp vpon the wal, sounded a trompet, and gaue a great shout. The Iewes being at their reast as men opprest with hunger and wearinesse, & hearinge this larum and shoute of the Romains: were wonder­fullye amased, not knowinge what the matter mente, or howe they should de­fende them selues. Titus also heard the shoute, and whan he had inquired the matter: he chose oute certain valeaunt men, and drue toward the breches with them. In the meane season the day was broken, and the Iewes rising frō their slepe, espied Titus vpon the walles, and marueiled therat greatelye. The Ro­mains therfore gatheringe toward Ti­tus, came verye thicke into the towne, some by the breches of the wall and o­ther some through a vault, by the whi­the the Iewes were wont now and thē to issue oute and in. The Iewes set thē [Page]selues in aray against the Roma [...]es in the very entry of the tēple: vpon whō y^e Romains ran with their drawen swor­des for they had none other armour, nor the Iewes nether being so hastily takē at such a soden. The battail wared ve­ry harde and wonderful dehemente on both barties, the like was neuer sene in Ierusalem, nor heard of in an [...] [...]me, for euery mā claue hard to his next fe [...] we, and no man could flee on no side, wher­fore y^e battails wart strong w^t lamours & shoutes on both parties: now the [...]oy­ful shoutes of the vanquishers, now the wailinges on the other side of thē that were put to the worsse. The Romaines encouraged & erborted one an other to fight, saiyng: this is the day which we haue long loked for. The Iewes again toke heart vnto thē, saying: it botes not to f [...]e hence, but for the glory of the lord and of his temple let vs d [...]e manfu [...]lye as necessiti cōstreineth vs, & so doing we shalbe counted for sarrifices & offrings: which earnestnes on both sides filled y^e entry of y^e court of y^e lord with bloude, y^e [Page]it stode like vnto a pole or a pond. And that fight cōtinued frō that morninge vntil that day four daies. Then a cer­tains souldioure of Titus whose name was Golinus, a valeaunt man as was any amongst al the cōpany of Kuttiim, he seing the Iewes to preuaile and to haue thupperhande of the Romaines, which now had left of fighting & fled, the Iewes pursuing thē: in a rage he ran against them, and met them at the newe wal that Herode builded, called Antochia, driue them backe, and made them take thentri of the temple again, wheras pressing into the routes of the Iewes, he was sore wounded of a cer­tain Iew. And when he perceiued him selfe wounded, he woulde haue lepte backe, but stombled at a stone in the pauement of the courte of the temple & sel downe, where he [...]oughte yet stil, t [...] a certaine Iewe killed him outrighte. He foughte in deede verye boldly and valeauntlye, but vnwarily: for he con­sidered not his grounde wherin he had to do with the Iewes. Titus waitinge [Page ccxxxv]for Golinus returne, and hearinge him to be slain, would haue gon him self to rescue the reaste of his whiche were with him. But hys men woulde not suffer him, fearinge leafte he him selfe shoulde be slaine. The Iewes therfore gate the vpper hande that day, and slue wonderful manye Romaines in that bat taile, spoilinge them also whyche were killed of their armoure. Thes [...] were the names of the Iewes y^e made that skirmishe. Of the company of cap­tain Iehochanan, Elasa, and Iphtach: of Schimeons companye, Malchiah, and Iaikob a Prince of the Edomites. And Arsimon, and Iehudah, of the company of Eleasar the sonne of Anam. These with their companions made thys flaughter of the Romaines in the en­tran [...] of the temple and droue them back to the Antochia, where they kept [...]hem vp that they coulde not get oute. Wherfore when Titus perceiued that the Antochia was in the Romaines waye, and hindred them: he caused it to be [...] & pulled down to the ground. [Page]These thinges were done vpon the .v. day of Siuan, Maye▪ the third moneth, vp [...] the euen of the solem [...]ne festiuall daye of weekes, which otherwise is called Pen­tecost, and that [...] the .xiiii. moneth from the beginninge of Titus sieg [...] a­gainst this citye.

SHortly after, vpon the third dai of the feast of weekes, thē, Iewes as ma [...]e as were at Ierusalem, kept holy [...] and celebrated the waste. Titus taking [...] with him Ioseph the sonne of Gorion▪ wēt vnto the house of y^e sāctuar [...] where the seditious & souldiours of the Iewes were gathered together, and called vn­to Iehochanan & the rest of the captains of the seditious, to whome he [...] the mean [...]s of Ioseph beinge his inter­preter in this wise: What hath this tē ­ple offēded thee, (y^u seditious Iehocha­nan) why hast thou brought vpō it thi [...] great euil and mischief? If so be it thou truste so muche to thy [...] forthe to vs with thy menne into the fieldes, and we shall fight with thee thy [Page ccxxxvi]fill. Is not this your solempne festiuall daye? Whye then will ye fighte in that place where ye should offer your sacrifi­ces? Ye pollute and defile the sanctuary of your God and his name, & we spare it, knowinge it is the house of God. And thonlye cause whye we make war vppon you, is your stubburne stifnec­kednesse, that you will not submit your selues to vs, whome God hathe geuen the dominion vnto, whose will ye la­houre in vayne to disappoynt. Eyther therefore, if ye wyl fighte no more, hum­ble your selues vnder oure subiection that ye maye saue your liues: or else if ye be determined still desperatelye to fighte wyth vs, then get ye forthe from hence, and let vs goe into the fieldes, there to set oure battailes in aray, for why, wil ye defile your sanctuary & hin­der y^e worshipping of your God? Muche more besides this spake Titus, partlye blaming their stubburnnes in that thei had defiled their temple, and yet ceased not to pollute it more and more: partly with fayre words and gentlenes exhor­ting [Page]them to yelde, admonishing them not to resist so mighty an army, when as they could not do it withoute daun­ger of vtter destruction. These & many other thinges Ioseph expressed in He­brue to the people as Titus willed him, but y^e Iewes answered neuer a word: for Iehochanan had geuen a charge y^t no man should speake. Then captain [...] Iehochanan answered Titus him self, sayinge: We can offer no kinde of sa­crifices more acceptable to God, then to vowe, ieoparde, and habandon oure owne bodies and bloud for his names sake. Wherefore we wil dye free in this oure towne, and wyl neuer come in bondage to serue you. Titus made him answer by Ioseph, sayinge: This your city, I graunt is a holy city [...], and your temple is mo [...]e holye, whyche no man dothe deny. But ye haue greuou­slye sinned, in that ye haue pollu [...]ed the temple of the Lorde your God by sheadinge in it the innocente blōude of sain [...]es and priestes of God, wyth o­ther mooste godlye and holye menne.

By what reason canne ye then saye that you shal be accepted for sacrifices and offerynges before God? Yea, ra­ther God abhorreth and detesteth you vtterly, when as he requireth in his sa­crifices that thei should haue no defaut nor spot, but ye are all to be spotted, so that no sounde place is in you. For tell me (I praye you) if there be anye more abhominable spot in man then synne, when as he traunsgresseth the lawe of God as ye haue done? Neither is there anye wisedome or intelligence in you. For wise men wold wisely beare with the calamities of times, and know the courses of thinges. How then are ye so [...]olishe to saie that ye are an acceptable and well pleasynge sacrifice vnto god, when as ye resist the wyll of GOD so proudelye? But thou Iehochanan and the rest of the sedicious capitaines that are with thee: tell me, art not thou a mortall man, subiecte vnto the griefes and vexacions of this life, and wormes meat as we be? Shold he not displease thee that should take awaye a table or [Page]such like thing prepared to the honour of thee, & wouldest thou take it in good parte, & holde him excused that should do so vnto thee? Why then haste thou taken awaye the sacrifices of thy God out of his Temple, and haste stuffed it with innumerable deade bodies? Who can see or heare this, and abstain from wepinge, when he shall knowe so ma­nie Israelites to haue suffered death by thee, and Schimeon, and Eleasar thy fe­lowes? Nether canst thou yet apply thy minde to cease and leaue of thy malice, and yet neuertheles perswadest thi self the whyle that God is wyth thee, and that thou with thy felowes arte an ac­ceptable and well pleasynge Sacrifice vnto GOD: nothynge perceiuynge that your synnes seperateth you, and kepeth you a sunder more strongelye then ante Brasen walle. It is true, I confesse that it becommeth euerye va­leant man to stande stoutelye in the de­fence of his people, citye, and countrey, For it is better to dye valiantlye then to com into the subiectiō of his enmy that [Page ccxxxviii]goeth about to plucke him from his re­ligion, and driue him out of his coūtrey. But I came not hither for that intent to draw you from your lawe, or to ba­nish you out of your lande, or els to de­stroye it and your Cities: but this is the cause of my commynge hither, to effer you peace, and to make a league with you, that you shoulde take vppon you our yoke, and be our subiectes as ye were [...]ore. Where did you euer heare of a people in al the worlde, that hath shewed them selues so mercifull & gentle, both towardes other, & towards you, as we haue done? Hanniball the captain of the Garthaginian [...], after he had wasted our coūtrey, & at lōgth was taken by vs was he not had in greate honor & reputatiō of vs, & with such hu­manity hādled, y^e we made him king of his people? And so delt we w^t Antiochꝰ the Macedoniā, & other kings y^e we toke prisoners▪ Ye▪ brag y^e ye kepe the watch of [...]our god, Why thē folow ye not the exāple of Iechaniah your kinge, who to saue y^e tēple of your god frō destructiō, & [Page]left your people also shold be led away into bondage, or be destroyed with the sworde: yelded him selfe and his house into the hands of the king of the Chal­deis. Why spare you not your owne liues, your citie, and sanctuary? Nowe therefore hearken vnto me▪ and I wil make a leage with you before the God of this house, who shalbe a witnes be­twixt me and you: by whom I sweare that I will neuer breake this league, neither do you anye harme, nor spoyle your goodes, nor leade you away cap­tiue, nor yet set any ruler ouer you but a Iewe of your owne nacion, euen Io­seph the priest whiche is with me shall be your prince if you think it good, and all the faithfull menne also whiche are with me shall returne to you home a­gaine, ye shal inhabite your own land, ye shal haue the vse of the fruites ther­of with peace and quietnesse, without any corruption or alteration of the ser­uice of your God. Wherfore credite [...] [...]o make a leage wyth you, and that y [...] may trust me the better, ye shall haue [Page ccxxxix]pledges, Iosephe a noble man of your countrey, and other princes and noble men of the Romaynes. Come forthe therefore and intreate a peace with vs, bowe your shoulders and humble your neckes to serue vs like as all other na­cions do, & as you haue done your selfes in y^e time of Nero Caesar, y^e ye may liue & not be distroied, keping your religion safe & sound. Ioseph the priest hearing the wordes of Titus & his clemency, in that he was minded to spare y^e Iewes, burste out aloude and wept in the pre­sence of the capitaynes of the sedicious verye bitterlye, but they nothinge re­garded it. Iosephe therfore seinge that Titus coulde do nothinge wyth the se­dicious, said vnto their princes. I mar­uaile nothing thoughe this citie tende to desolation & destruction, for I know the ende of it is at hande. But this is it that I maruaile moste, that ye haue redde the boke of Daniel and vnderstād it not, which is now fulfilled in al thin­ges, and yet neuer a one of you dothe marke it. The continual sacrifice is al­ready [Page]ceased a good while agoe, the an­noynted Prieste is cut awaye and put downe. These things although thei be most manifest, yet your herts cā not be leue thē. And mani other words spake Ioseph full of admonition & consolatiō, but the Iewes refused to heare him. Whē as he had made an end therfore, and the Sedicious hadde so hardened their neckes, Titus turned him and de­parted out of Hierusalem, saiynge: Let vs get vs hence least their synnes de­stroye vs. Wherefore he pitched hys tentes without the Citye, in the same place where he encamped at the firste: For he was afrayed both for him selfe and his armie, lest they shoulde be cir­cūuented and closed in, and slaine cru­ellye in so great a Citye as that was. Certaine of the priestes at that tyme & of the nobles of the towne, with other Godlie men did wisely se to thē selues▪ & came forth to Titus, submittyng thē selues to his mercye, & were receiued of him peceably wyth great honor. Whō Titus cōmaunded to be cōducted into y^e [Page ccxl]land of Goschen, where in tymes past the Israelites dwelt in y^e daies of Iacob their father, & Ioseph Lord of Egypte. Thither sent he them, & gaue it thē in possession to theim and to their heires for euer, commaundynge a companye of the Chaldeis to safe conducte theim til they came to the lande of Goschen. Titus directed hys Letters also to the Romayne Presidente whyche was set ouer Egypt, to take pitie of the Iewes that he hadde placed in the Lande of Goschen, to sustayn and succour them, and to see that no Romaine or other shoulde do them harme, or anoye them by anye meanes. Manye other also of the Iewes coueted to go forthe of Hi [...] ­rusalem, but they were letted of the Sedicious, that they coulde not dooe as they intended. And who can tell whether they were intangled wyth their owne synnes, and destenyed to destruction wyth theyr Sediciousse brethren? when as their handes al­so were polluted wyth the crueltye and iniquitye of the Sedicious? [Page]Wherfore the Sedicious closed vp all the waies about the temple, that none of the Iewes which were in Hierusa­lem might get out to Titus. When Ti­tus knew that many of the Iewes wer desierous to flee vnto him and coulde not because of the sedicious: he wente agayne to the place where he [...] was a­fore, and Iosephe with him. Whom when the people sawe to be there with Titus, they fel a wepynge, and said vn­to him. We acknowledge our synnes, and the traunsgression of our fathers, wee haue all swarued out of the waye against the lord our God, for we know the mercye and gentlenes of Titus the sonne of Caesar, and that he taketh pity vpon vs: but what can we do, when it is not in our power to flee vnto hym, bicause of y^e cruelty of y^e sedicious? The sedicious hearing theim talkyng with Ioseph in presence of Titus, & that they spake reuerently of him, & honored hys father callyng him Lorde: they ranne vpon them with their drawen swordes to kill them. Then cried they vnto Ti­tus, [Page]deare Lorde and maister rescue vs. The Romayns therfore made spede to deliuer thē out of the hādes of y^e sedici­ous. So risse there a fray in y^e midst of the temple betwene the Romayns and the Iewes. The Romains fled into the place called Sanctum sanctorum, which was the holiest of all, and the Iewes folowed after and slewe theim euen there. Titus standinge without, cryed vnto Iehochanan, and saide vnto hym. Hearest thou, thou Ichochanan, is not thy wickednes yet great inough? Wilt thou neuer make an ende of thy mis­chiefe? Where is the honoure of thy God? Is it not written in the lawe of your God of the Sanctum sanctorum, that no straunger ought to come at it, but onelye the hye prieste, and that but once a yeare, because it is the holiest of al? And now how darest thou be so bold to kil those that are escaped vn to it, & how dare ye shede the bloud of the vn­circumcised therin whom ye abhor, and yet mixt their bloud with yours. The Lord your God is my witnesse, that I [Page]woulde not haue this house destroyed, but your owne wicked workes, & your owne handes pull it downe. And wold god you wold receiue our peace, which if it were once done done, we wold ho­nour this house of the sanctuary & tem­ple of the Lorde: yea, we would depart away from you. But your heartes are hardened like yron, & your neckes and foreheds are become obstinate as brasse to your owne vndoing. For ye shal ca­rie your owne sinnes, & die in the land of the Romaines. I and my fathers house are innocent and gilties of your death, as the Lorde and his temple, in whose presence we stand, shal beare vs witnes this day. But whē he saw that none of y^e sedicious gaue any regard to his words, he chose out of his Romain? xxx. M. valiāt fighting men, & gaue thē cōmaundemēt to take & occupy then try of the tēple, which is a holy court, & de­termined to go with thē him selfe, but his nobles wold not suffer him, but wil led him to remain vpō a hie place wher he might behold his sodiers fight. And [Page]when the [...]se thee a farre of, their h [...]ts shal [...]e cōforted, & they shall fight acc [...]r­ding as thou wilt wishe thē, but come no [...] at then try of the tēple thy selfe, lest thou be destroied amongst other. Titus folowed the coūsel of his cap [...]ains, and went not at y^e time with his mē to the battel. He made chiefe captains of that host of .xxx. M. one Karilius & Rostius. i [...]. noble men, whō he cōmaunded to set v­pō the Iewes y^e night whē thei shold be a slepe with wearines. The Romains therfore doing after his cōmaundemēt set vpō the Iewes. But the Iewes ha­uing intelligence of the matter, kept di­ligēt watch, & withstede the Romains val [...]auntly al that night. But the Ro­maynes were not hastye to fyghte in the darke, fearinge lest it might turne to their owne harme. Assone therfore as it was daye, the Iewes deuided theim selues, and bestowed their com­panies at the Gates of the entraunce, and foughte lyke menne. Karilius and Rostius beset the Temple round [...] aboute that not one of the Iewes [Page]might escape out, and so the battail in­creased betwene theim for the space of v [...]. dayes, sometime the Romains get­tynge the vpper hande of the Iewes, driuynge them within the entraunce: sometime the Iewes encouraging thē selues, made the Romaines retire, and pursued them to the walles of the An­tochia, in this maner fought they these vii. dayes. Afterwarde, the Romaynes retourned backe from the Iewes, and woulde not fight hande to hande with them any more. Then Titus cōmaun­ded the Walles of the Antochia to bee pulled downe further, that there might be place for his whole hoaste to enter. The famine in the mean season grew more greuous, so y^t no fode was nowe left. For the Iewes began now to issue out, and steale horses, asses, and other beastes what soeuer they coulde catch, euen out of the Romayns campe, that they might dresse them some meat and susteine their liues. Which they doing often tymes, at length the Romaynes perceiued it, & were wonderfulfye [...] ­pleased [Page ccxliii]with the matter. Wherefore they set watch and ward round about the cāpe, lest by the disceit of the Iewes they should be spoyled of their cattel, so after y^t the Iewes could steale no more from thence. After warde notwithstan­ding they armed them selues, and issu­ed out at the East gate, and brake the wal that Titus had raised for his owne safety, lest the Iewes should issue oute vpon a sodayne, and come vpon him at vnwares.▪ A sort of tall felowes there­fore of the you the of the Iewes issued out by the breaches of the wall, & gate vp quickly to the mount Oliuet, wher­as they found horses, mules, asses, and much other cattel, and fleyng their ke­pers, they driue them before them with great shoutes into the toune. The Ro­mayns perceyuing that, pursued them to fyghte. Wherefore the yonge men deui [...]e [...] theim selues into two bandes [...] the one to dryue the bootye, and the o­ther to resist the Romaynes. So there was a sore [...]yght betwyxt theim, but the Iewes gate the vpper hande, and [Page]went their wayes cleare with the [...] towarde Hierusalem. For the [...] came for the constrayned by the necessi­tie of honger, and foughte for their li­uynge: the Romaynes had no cause to fyghte, saue onelye for shame to [...]e their cattell driuen awaye before their eyes, for otherwise they put not their liues in ieopardye to fight vnto drathe as the Iewes did, yet was there many of the Komaynes slaine in that [...]ighte. The Iewes whyle the Romayns p [...] ­sued theim in dayne, they gate into the towne with their spoyle and [...], and straight waye tourned vppon [...] R [...] ­maines and driue the [...]n backe, pa [...] ­suynge theim agayne tyl they [...]the a [...] ­most to Titus [...]ampe, whiche when the other Romaynes sawe & the [...]ame to the rescue of their felowes▪ [...] ed agayne those yong men to [...] to take thē, albeit the [...] scaped [...] without any ha [...]the, saue that [...] toke a boy and brought him vnto [...] that toke this lad [...] So the Romaynes [...] [Page ccxliiii]the Iewes at that tyme, and for a cer­taine token of victory, they hadde this y [...]g Iewe prisone [...]. Pornas y^e toke hym was hadde in great estimation for that act, of Titus and all the Romay [...]s. Ti­tus appareled the boye, and committed hym to Iosephus to kepe. This Boye had a brother amongest theim that es­caped into the toune, a vyle personage euil fauoured, and of a lowe stature, hys name was Ionathan. He seyng his brother taken, cōmeth forth to the tōbe of Iochanan the hie priest ouer against Romaines, and cryed vnto Titus, and to all the armye, saiynge: If there bee euer a manne amongest you, let hym [...]ome forthe vnto mee, here wyll I a­by [...] hym, and fyght with hym vppon thy [...] grounde: and ye shall knowe this daye whether the Romaynes or the Iewes be the better menne. The Romaynes dispised hym, yet durste they▪ not meddle wyth hym, but said: if wee kyll hym, wee shall neuer bee counted the better menne for such an acte, and if he shoulde kyll anye of vs, [Page]it shoulde be a great dishonoure to be slayne of a wretche. Ionathan sayde to to the Romaynes, howe muche is the manhode of the Romaynes to bee re­garded in our eyes? Haue not you bene flayne and put to flyght by vs? What were you then if that bandes and com­panies of the Gentils came not euerye daie to ayde you? If they had not helpt you, we had longe agoe eaten you vp. We haue destroyed our selues▪ one an other with ciuil warres, so that we are but few left, but what are you? Who is so hardy of the best of you al [...]o come and declare his strength, and to fyght with me? I am one of the meanest and outcastes of the Iewes: picke you onte the chiefest and vale antest man amen­gest you all, and you shall knowe by and by whether parte is more valiant. When Ionathan hadde spaken thus proudelye, there came for the one of the most valiantst souldiers of y^e Ro [...]ains whose name was Pornas, the same that had taken the brother of this Ionathan and brought him to Titus, he came no [Page ccxlv]soner at Ionathan, but he was killed of him streight way, leauing behinde him a diuers inheritaunce to Ionathan and the Romains. To Ionathan a fame of fortitude & valeantnes: to the Romains shame and reproche. Whan Ionathan had so slain y^e Romain, y^e Iewes chaū ­ged his name & called him Iehonathan, by an honorable name, & gaue him a septer of dominiō in his hād. But Iehonathan whē he had gotten this victori, gaue not y^e glory to god, but ascribed it to his owne prowesse & became verye proud withal, he was not content with one victory, but would yet prouoke the Romains, [...]ailing at them, and calling for an other valeaunte champion to be sent to him, that I might kil him (saith he) and [...]lare my force vpon him And euen as he said so, one of the Romains whose name was Poriian stroke him throughe with an arrowe at vnwares and killed him. By whose example we may perceiue. It is euerye mannes parte chieflye to take hede, that vvhen they o­uercome their enemies, they reioyce not [Page]ouer muche, nor vvaxe proude for the matter, for vvho knovveth vvhat ende they shal haue thē selues? These things done, the Iewes seing the walles of y^e temple & the three walles that compas­sed the town to be raced & puld down, knowinge also that they had no hope left, nor any thing to truste vnto: they consulted what were best to be done. There was a greate huge house ioy­ninge vpon the side of the temple that king Salomon had builded, of a great height, whose walles also the kings of the second tēple had raised on height, & had decked it with timber of firre and ceder trees. The Iewes wēt & anoin­ted euery where the Ceder timber of y^e house with brimstone and pitch aboū ­dauntly. So whan the Romains came again to the tēple to assault y^e Iewes, & pursued them vnto that palaice: they entred the palaice after y^e Iewes (who went out again an other waye) & some climed vp to the battlemēt [...] of y^e house, other set vp ladders to scale it. Then reioysed they wonderfully, saying▪ the [Page ccxlvi]palaice is taken: now haue the Iewes no place lefte to flee vnto for refuge. Thus whan y^e Romains had gottē the palatre & the house was thr [...]nge ful of thē, a certain Iewe a yōg mā, vowing him self desperatly to die, wente & shut vp the palaice, & set fire of the gates before annointed with brimstone and pitch. And streightway the side walles of the house, & the whole building begā to be on a light fire, so y^t the Romaines had no waye to escape because the fire cōpassed the house on euerye side. The Iews also stode in harners reūd about the house leaste anye of the Romaines should escape. Wherfore so many of y^e Romaines as entred the house, were destroied with the fire, which was .xxii. M. men of war. Titus hearing the cry [...] of the Romaines that pearished in the fire, made spede with his men to come and rescue them, but they coulde not deliuer them oute of the fire, it brente so vehementlye, wherefore Titus and his wepte verye bitterlye. The Ro­mains that were aboue vpō the house [Page]whē they saw their master Titus wepe, and the fire to be betwene them that nether coulde come at other: they caste them selues downe headlong from the batlementes of the house whiche was very hie, & died, saiynge: we wil die in Titus presēce, to get vs a name therby. The Iewes kepte the gates of the pa­lace, & if they perceiued any man go a­bout to escape out of the fire, or to come downe of the batlementes: them they killed with their swordes. In that fire was a certain noble man of the stocke of kinges, whose name was Longinus, to whome the Iewes cried and flouted him, saying: come hither to vs, y^e thou maist saue thy life and not be destroied, but he durst not go out at the gate, fea­ring least the Iewes woulde kill him, wherfore he drue oute his sworde and thrust him self through before their fa­ces. An other noble man also was in y^e fire, whose name was Artorius, who loking forth from the top of the house, saw one of his deare frendes by Titus whiche was called Lucius: to whome [Page ccxlvii] Artorius called, saying. My deare frend Lucius get on thine armour and come hither, that I may leape downe vppon thee, and thou maiste receiue me. If I die, I make thee mine heir, if thou die, thy children shal inherite my goodes. Wherfore Lucius ran and held his lap opē at the house side, and Artorius lept down and light vpon him wyth suche waight that they both died therwith. Titus commaunded the couenaūt that they two made before their death to be written vpon a sword with bloud, and their frendship to be noted in the chro­nicles of the Romaines, that it mighte be an example to all men to learn true frendship by. At that time therfore the Iewes reuenged them selues meetely wel vpon the Romains. The fire brēt till it came to the house of Chiskiiahu kinge of Iehudah, and hadde almooste taken the temple of the Lorde, whiche the Romains seing, fled out of the toun and gate them to their tentes, a greate parte of theim beings destroied by the crueltye of the Iewes, so that fewe of [Page]them remained. The reste therefore lay stil in their siege rounde about the towne, sayinge: we shal not be able to win the town by the sword, but rather we must be fain to driue thē to yeld by famin, wherefore they compassed it on euery side. In the towne now had thei no victuals left.

THere was a certaine notable rich woman at Ierusalem, of a noble house also, whose name was Miriam, her dwelling was beyond Iordan, but whē she perceiued the warres to grow more & more in the time of Vaspasian, she came vp with her neighbors to Ie­rusalē, bringing with her not only her men seruants & women seruants, & all her whole family: but also her goods & riches which were very great. When the hunger was greuous at Ierusalē, & the seditious wente frō house to house to seeke meate, they came also to thys womans house & toke awaye from her by force al that euer she had, and lefte her nothinge remaininge. After there­fore she her selfe was oppressed wyth [Page ccxlviii]very greate hunger so that she wishte her oute of the worlde, but her time was not yet come to die. Wherfore that she mighte slake her hunger and su [...]eine her life, she began to scrape in the chaffe and duste for beastes dong but coulde finde none. She hadde one sonne, & when she saw the famin ware greater & greater vpō her, she laid aside all womanhode and mercye, and toke vpon her an horrible cruelty: for when she heard her boye weepe and aske for meat which she had not to geue him, she said vnto him: What shal I do my sōne? for the wrath of God hath enui­roned the whole city, in euerye corner therof famin reigneth, without the ci­tie the sword killeth vp all, within we stand in feare of the sedicious, our en­nemies preuail without, in the towne are fires, burnings, and ruines of hou­ses, famine, pestilence, spoiling, and de­stroying, so that I can not fede thee my sonne. Nowe therefore my sonne, if I shoulde dye for hunger, to whō shoulde I leaue thee, beinge yet a childe? [Page]I hoped once that when thou shouldest come to mās state, thou shouldest haue susteined mine age with meat, drinke, and cloth, and after when I shuld dye, to bury me honorablye, like as I was mineded to bury thee, if thou shouldest haue died before me. But now misōne y^e art as good as ded al redi, for I haue no meat to bringe thee vp withall, be­cause of this great famin and crueltye of the enemies both within and with­out. If thou shuldest die now amongst other, thou shouldest haue no good nor honourable tombe as I woulde wishe thee. Wherfore I haue thoughte good to chuse y^t a sepulcher, euē mine own body, least thou shouldest die, & dogges eate thee in the stretes. I will therfore be thy graue, & thou shalt be my fode. And for that, that if thou hadst liued & growen to mās state, thou oughtest by right to haue nourished me: now feede me with thy fleshe, and with it sustein mine age, before that famine deuoure thee: and thy body be consumed. Ren­der therfore vnto thy mother y^e whiche [Page]she gaue vnto thee, for thou c [...]mmest of her, and thou shalte returne into her. For I will brynge thee into the selfe same shop, in the whiche the breathe of life was breathed into thy nosethrilles, forasmuch as thou art my welbeloued sonne, whom I haue loued alwayes with al my strength, be therfore meate for thy mother, an ignominy & reproch to the Sedicious that by violence haue taken awaye our fode. Wherefore my sonne heare my voice, and susteine my soule and my life, and go to thend that is determined for thee by my handes, thy lot be in the gardein of Eden and Paradise, be thou meate for me, & a re­buke and shame to the Sedicious, that they maie be compelled to saie: Loe, a woman hath killed her sonne, and hath eaten him. So whē she had thus spokē to her sonne, she toke the child, and tur­ning her face awaye lest she should see him dye, she killed him with a sword, & after cut his body into certaine pieces, wherof some she rosted, some she sodde, & when she had eaten of them, she la [...]ed [Page]vp the reste to kepe. The sauoure of the flesshe rosted when it came out into the streates to the People: they saied one to an other: see, here is a smell of coste meate, whiche thinge came vnto the knowledge of the Sedicious [...] lengthe, who wente into the house of the woman, and spake roughlye vnto her: whye shouldest thou haue meate to liue with, and wee dye for hong [...]r▪ The woman made theim aunswer [...], and saide vnto theim. Be not dispea­sed I beseche you wyth youre hande­maide for this, for you shall see I haue kepte parte for you. Sit you downe therefore and I will bringe it you that ye maye taste thereof, for it is verye goodimeate. And by and by shee layed the Table, and set before theim parte of the childes fleshe, saiy [...]ge: Cate I pray you, here is a childes hand, se here his fote, and other parts, and neuer re­port that it is any other womans child, but mine owne onelye Sonne that ye knewe with me, him I bare, and also haue eaten part, and part I haue kepte [Page ccxlx]for you. Whiche when she hadde spo­ken, she burst out and wepte, saiynge [...] Oh my sonne, my sonne, howe swete waste thou to mee whiles thou yet li­ [...]edst, and now at thy death also thou art sweter to me then honye: for thou hast not onely sed me in this most gr [...] ­ [...]ous famin, but thou hast defended me from the wrath of the sedicious, wher­with they were incensed towards me, when the smell of the meate broughte theim into my house. Nowe therefore are they become my frendes, for they sit at my table, and I haue made them [...] feast with thy fleshe. After she turned her to the sedicious, and bade them eat and satis [...]ie them selues, for why (saith she) shoulbe ye abhorre my meat which I haue set before you? I haue satisfied my selfe therwith, why therfore do you not eat of the flesh of mi son? Tast and se how swete my sonnes flesh is, I dare saye ye wil saye it is good meat. What neadeth pitie, ought ye to be more mo­ned therewith then a womanne? If y [...] will in no wyse eate of the Sacrifice [Page]of my Sonne, when as I haue eaten therof mi self. Shal not this be a shame for you, that I shold haue a better hart and greater courage then you? Behold I haue prepared a faire Table for you most valiant men, why eat ye not? Is it not a good feast that I haue drest for you? and it was your wil that I should make you this feaste It hadde bene my parte rather to haue bene moued with pitie of my sonne, then yours: and how chaunceth it therfore that ye are more mercifull then I? Are not ye they th [...] spoiled my house, and lest me no kinde of sode for me and my sonne? Are [...] ye thei that cōstrained me to make you this feast, notwithstandinge the greate bonger that I haue? Why then [...]at y [...] not therof, whē as ye were the auct [...] [...] and the causers that I did this ded [...]? The Iewes hearynge this matter, were wonderfullye smitten into [...]d­nesse: yea, euen the gouernour [...] of the sedicious beganne to stoupe when they hearde of this, so that they all in a manner desiered deathe, they were so [Page]amased at this horrible Acte. Manye therefore of the common people stale out in the nigh [...]e forthe of Hierusalem with al their substance to the Romainꝭ campe, and shewed Titus of this, who wepte thereat, and was sorie for the matter exceadinglye, holdynge vp his bandes to heauen, and criynge. Thou Lorde God of the worlde, God of this house, to whom al secrets are knowen, whiche also knowest my hearte, that I came not againste this Citie as desie­rous of Warres, but rather of Peace, whiche I euer offered them, but yet the citizins thereof euermore refused it, al­though I often times intreated theim, and when they distroied one another by their ciuil dissention, I would haue de­liuered theim, but I founde theim al­waies like moste fierce & cruel beastes, nothinge sparinge theim selues, & this mischiefe is come nowe so farre, that a woman hathe eaten her owne flesshe, beinge driuen therunto by moste ex­treame necessitie. I haue hearde, and my forefathers haue tolde mee all the [Page]power that thou hast exercised in times past towardes them and their fathers, how thy name dwelt amongst thē. For thou broughtest theim out of Egypte with a stronge hande and a stretched forth arm out of the house of bondage, [...]o whom also thou deuidedst the Sea, led [...]est theim throughe it drye, & drow­nedst their enemies in the water: after cōd [...]tedst thy people through the wil­ [...]erhes, and seddest theim with brea [...] from heauen, thou causedst quayles to [...]ee vnto them, and broughtest out wa­ter out of the rocke for theim. At [...]en­gth thou broughtest them into this ho­lye lande by greate and terrible myra­cles and wonders. For thou [...] vp the waters of Iordane, and ma [...]est [...]hē stande as it were on a [...]ape [...]yll they were passed ouer. Thou cau [...]edst the sunne and the mone also to stay [...] the [...] course for thy peoples sa [...]e, till they might vanquishe thei [...] en [...]emies, thou wouldest also y^e thy name should [...] amongst theim, and thou gauest th [...] [...]his citye by inheritaunce. Some of [...] [Page]thou chosedst for thy selfe to be Pro­phets, which might correct thy people, teache them, and lead them in the right waie, to geue them warnynge of mise­ries folowinge, that they mighte take hede of them selues, and beware of thē ▪ Thou stirredst vp wise men amongest theim, [...]o the intente Israell myghte knowe what were to be done. More­ouer, thou diddest chuse of them prie­ste [...] to serue thee, and to blesse thy peo­ple Israell. Certayne Godlye menne of theim also thou drewedst vnto thee, [...]d in a fierye Charriot thou cariedst them vp into Heauen. Thou smotest the [...]en [...]es of the king of Assur, and kil­l [...]st in theim .clxxxv. thousand menne. These and diuers other thinges haue I learned of my forefathers: yea, and Iosephe the priest, a verie wise manne [...]the tolde mee a greate part [...] of the [...]. And now Lorde GOD, this people which I haue stryuen against I would haue [...]aied they had trusted in th [...], but thou seest thei trust not in thy sauing helth, but in their owne sword: [Page]thou seest also howe proude they be [...], notwithstandynge thy terrible signes and wonders wherewyth thou haste [...]ought on my side againste them, whi­che they will not acknowledge. They saie, there is no manne can brynge vs vnder, because the Lorde our God will helpe vs, yea, althoughe we be wicked: for as muche as for oure sakes he ray­ned breade downe from heauen, deui­ded y^e sea, brought out waters forth of the harde Rocke, and staied the cour­ses of the Sunne, and all for vs. But they consider not that thou sh [...]w [...]st those sygnes to their fathers for their rightuousnesse sake, and those for their wickednesse thou haste stroken in [...] warres to make their [...], and to laye waste their Cities because of the multitude of their tra [...]g [...]i­ [...]ns, and howe thou haste consu [...] theim with Sworde, Pestilence, [...] Famine, that they are fayne to [...] the flesshe of their Childrene, and yet for all this, they can not finde in [...] har [...]es to humble thē selfes before thee, [Page]nor to acknowledge thy hande to haue bene vpō thē for their wicked workes. I also haue not bene very earnest vpō them, but haue assaulted them euer gē ­tlely: If so be it, thou wilte not deliuer them into my handes: I will get me hence from these moste wicked men, & [...]e away to saue my life, leaste I also perish in their [...]innes, when y^u shalt o­uerthrow thē as thou didst ouerthrow Sedom and Amora. Wherefore, lo [...], I wil get me out of their land with spede leaste we be destroyed with the [...], for our eyen do see Sedom that was ouer­thrown in their borders. Yea, but this hardeneth their hartes also like iron, that they fay: whye shoulde we not be like to our fathers in crueliye, for oure forefather. Abraham whan as he had but one onlye sonne, he wente to [...]acri­ [...]l [...]e him to the lord, whome in deede I do not apprehend for this fact, for whi? I know not the mistery therof, al be it I maruel, how he had no pitye on hys sonnne. I haue heard also of a certaine king of theirs, who the same day he set [Page]forwardes to the warres, made a v [...] to God that he would offer a sacri [...]c [...], i [...] he should haue good successe in hys warres, and when he returned frō the warres, he offred to god his onl [...] dough ter, and so performed his vowe that he had vowed vnto God. And hereby I know they are men of a stubburn spi­rit, for what so euer it geueth them in their heades to do, y^t they thinke muste nedes be done, and they are a noughty people & most heinous sinners. Wher­fore except thou [...] deliuer thē to [...]e: I wil gene ouer the wa [...]es, for I wil not be slain with thē without al iudg­ment. When Titus had saide all these things, he cōmaunded to bring an [...] Ram, & to bend it against the new [...] whiche the sedicious had raised, y^t they might batter the wal & cast it downe. Then came forth many of y^e nobles of the sedicious vnto Titus & made peace with him, whome he placed amougst [...] his chiefe men. SHortlye after y^e Romains set a fire a certain gate of the tēple, y^t was shut, [Page ccixiiii]whose dore was couered ouer with sil­uer, & while the timber of it burnt, the siluer melted & ran vpon the groūd. So when y^e gate was opē, there appeared the way which goeth to the Sanctū sā ­ctorum or holiest of all. Assone as Ti­tus saw it, he honored it with great re­nerence, & forbad his people y^t no man shuld come ni [...] it, saying: take heede ye medie not with this house, til we take further deliberation what is to be done in the matter. Wherfore he cōmaūded proclamation to be made throughoute at his camp [...] in this wise. Whosoeuer co [...]eth nie this Sanctuary, shal suffer death for it. He appointed also a strong kande of men to kepe the temple, that it were not suspended and vnhalow­ed by anye of his. But his princes and captain [...] answered him, [...]aiyng: vnles this house be set a fire, thou shalt ne­uer subdue this people, so: asmuch as to saue it they vowe them selues to die. Notwithstanding Titus wold not har­ken to their coūsel in this matter, but apointed of his soldiers & such Iews as [Page]had made peace w^t him to kepe warde, geuinge them charge to kepe the tem­ple and Sanctum sanctorum: leaste it should be polluted, till they had consul­ted vppon the matter. The sedicious Iewes that remained in Ierusalem, seing the Romains departed from the temple, and leauinge the kepers there behinde them, they ranne vppon them with their swords drawen and slue the ward vp, lettinge neuer a man scape. Which Titus hearing of, be broughte his whole army thither against the se­d [...]ious and killed manye of them, the reast fled to the mount Sion. The next day the Romaines set fire vppon the Sanctum fanctorum, laiyng woode to the dores that were couered ouer with gold, and then set fire in them. So after the gold waxte hote and the timber of the gates was once brent, the house of the Sanctum sanctorum was opē (that all men might see it) the ninth daye of fift Moneth, Iuly. which was the very same day that it was opened also in the time of the Chaldeis. The Romaines ther­fore [Page cclv]when they had gotten that dore of the Sanctum sanctorum once open, and had entred into it, they made great ioy and gaue a greate shoute, whiles the Sanctum sanctorum was a fire: which when Titus saw, he made greate spede to quench the fire and to saue the San­ctum sanctorum, but he could not do it, there did so many set it a fire in so ma­nye places. Titus therefore cried vnto them, that they shoulde not do so. But they would not heare him, for like as a vehement [...]oude of water breaketh all things, and driueth them down before it: euen so with a furious violence the gentiles rushed vpon the temple of the Lord, the fire flaminge nowe and then out of measure. Thus Titus cried vpō them in vaine: wherefore when Titus sawe be coulde not refraine the people from the Sanctum sanctorum wyth wordes, he drue out his sword, blaming the captaines of his owne people, and the other that were not Romaines, he killed them, for they in time paste were more wont to spoile the temple, neuer­thelesse [Page]thelesse he could not stay them nor put them backe. He cried still vppon them notwithstāding, til be was so hoorse y^t he coulde crye no longer. The priestes which were in the Sanctum sanctorum withstode the Romaines stoutlye, till they were no more able to lift vp their handes against them. Wherfore whē the priestes sawe there was none o­ther sauegarde lefte, th [...]y lept into the [...]ire, and diuers other Iewes with thē, that had hid them selues in y^e Sanctum sanctorum, and so were al brent toge­ther: for they said, what should we liue anye longer, nowe that the temple is burnte? Titus ceased not to strike the people to chase them from the temple, that they should not sinne against the Sanctum sanctorum, but no man wold obey him, for they were mani y^e spoiled temple. Titus therfore being so weatye that al his strength failed him: he fell downe vpon the ground. So whan he saw he preuailed nothing with his cri­yng: he left of forbiddinge them. After that the house of y^e Sanctum sanctorum [Page cclxvi]was burnt: Titus rose & entred into it, and saw the glory & magnificēce ther­of, and beleued that it was the house of the Lord, for as yet the fire had not vt­terly consumed al, so that be said: now I wel perceiue that this is none other then the house of God and the dwel­ling of the God of heauēs, nether was it for noughte that the Iewes stode so earnestly in the desence therof, nor the gentiles also did not withoute a cause send gold and siluer to this temple frō the furthest partes of the worlde. For greate is the glorye of this temple, and it far passeth the tēple of the Romains and al the temples of the gentiles that euer I sawe. The GOD of heauen whiche is the God of thys house, take vengaunce of the Sedicious, whose mischeuous and heinous deedes haue brought this euell vpon it. The sediti­ous y^e yet remained at Ierusalē, seinge y^e Sanctum sanctorum to be burnt: thei set the rest of the temple a fyre theim selues, and al the houses also that were filled full of treasure, and all kynde of [Page]precious iewels: and where they knew there was yet some victuals lefte, they set it a fire also, leaste the Romaines should haue any commoditye by it, sai­yng: now that the Sanctum sanctorum is wasted, what should we liue any lō ­ger, and then what nede haue we of a­nye other buildinges or houses? After this the Romains quenched the fire, & set vp their Idols and images in the temple, and offred burnt offerings vn­to them, blaspheminge, railinge, & moc­king at the Iewes and their lawes in the presence of their idols.

ABout that time was there a certain Iewe that prophected a lie vnto y^e seditious that remained yet at Ierusa­lem, bidding them to playe the mē and resist their enemies: for now (saith he) shal the tēple be builded by it self with out mannes hande, that God maye de­clare his power vnto the Romaines, which nowe glory in them selues that they haue ouercome the Iewes. Ther­fore if ye wil fight stoutly againste the Romains, this daye shal the temple be [Page]builded by it selfe. Wherefore the sedi­cious set vpon the Romains and [...]ewe many of them. So the Romains enkin­deled with yre, handeled the people cru­ellye, killinge theim like shepe, where they had fauoured theim hitherto. All these things happened vnto the people because they gaue e [...]edite to the false prophet, and market not y^e signed that appered at Ierusalē. For the yere next before the cōmyng of Vaspasian, there was sene a starre ouer the Temple so bright, as thoughe a man had had ma­ny drawe swordes in his hand at once. And at the same time as the starre ap­pered in the time of the folemne feaste talled Passach: Easter. that whole night the [...]emple was as light and as [...]e are as though it had bene middaie, and it con­ [...]in [...] so by the space of .vii. dayes of the feast. The men of vnder [...]andynge in Israel knewe well inough that this was an euill signe, but the rest of the people interpreted it in good parte. The very same time also they brought a Heffer for a burnte offerynge, which [Page]when she was feld and stroken down [...] that they might dresse her, she brought forth a lambe, This myracle they saied likewise made for them, and pretended good. As also this that f [...]loweth they interpreted to good. There was a cer­taine Gate that was called the Caste Gate, a great and wonderous heau [...] gate that was neuer opened nor shut, but twentye menne had inough to doe about it, the crekynge of the gynnoes and hokes whereof myght bee hearde a farre of. This Gate was founde o­pen without anye mannes helpe, and they coulde not shutte it, tyll a gr [...]ate noumber assembled and ioyned their strengthes together. After this▪ there was sene ouer the Temple, and the Sanctum sanctorum by the space of a whole nighte a face of a manne won­derfull terrible. There appeared also at that time [...]ery chariots and horse mē and great hoasts in the skye comming nye to Hiernsalem, and all the Lande of Inda. In the feast also of Week [...] the Prtestes hearde a man walking in [Page cclviii]the remple, & saiynge with a great & a wonderfull terrib [...]e [...]ase voyce. Come [...] vs go avvaye oute of thys Temple, and get vs hence. But specially there was one passynge all these. A certain manne in the Citye of a base and [...]we [...], whose name was Iehoscua the [...] of Chananeiahu, began to crye vpō the feast of the tabernartes with a lond voyce on this wyse. A voyce from the east, a voice from the vvest, a voice from the four vvindes of the heauens, a voyce agaynst Ierusalē, a voyce agaynst the tē ­ple [...] a voyce agaynlle the Bridegrome, a [...]oyee agaynste the bryde, and a voyce against the vvhole people. Which whē [...]e or ye [...] thus very o [...]e, the citezins of H [...]usalem hated him, & sai [...]d to him: What tryest thou alwayes this crye? But the gouernou [...] y^t then was in the [...]tie forbade the Citizins to say [...]ye thing to him afterward, supposing h [...] to be besides him self & mad. Therfore he neuer left criyng for the space of. iiii ye [...] [...]il the wa [...]rrs began, sa [...]yng: Wo to H [...]erusalē, & to the sanctuary therof. [Page]When the warres were once beg [...]e, and the towne besieged, it fortuned as he wandered about vpon the wals [...]i­yng after his maner, and at last adding this, Woe vnto my felfe: a stone came out of an engine from the campe, and smitte out his braines. At that time▪ al­so there was a wrttynge founde [...] in a stene of olde, whiche the Ie [...] redde, the wordes were these. VVh [...] ty [...]ne the building of the temple shalbe brought to soure square, then it shall be destroyed. Now when the Antoch [...] was taken and raced by the Romains, and the walles of the temple were also broken: the Iewes makinge spede to repaire the rui [...]es and [...], without any remē [...]raunce of this scrip­ture, thei made y^e tēpl [...]. [...]. squar [...]. Be­sides this there was a scripture fo [...]e in the wall of the Sanct [...]m san [...]um on this wise. VVhen the vvhole buil­ding of the temple shalbe foure [...]: the [...]f hall a king raine ouer Israel▪ and that king and ruler shal raigne ouer all the lande of Israell. Some interp [...]ted [Page cclix]this vpon the king of Israell. But the Priestes saide, it is the kinge or ruler of the Romains. The whole armye of the Romains being now commed into the temple, and the Iewes also fled to the mount Syon: the Romaines set vp their ydols in the temple of the Lorde, and offered Sacrifice vnto theim, blas­p [...]eminge and raylinge at the Iewes, and their god. At that tyme there came downe to the Romaynes a little boye of the priestes from the mount Syon, whiche wonte to a [...]aptaine of the Ro­mayns that was keper of the temple, and desieted him to geue him some wa­ter to drinke. He toke pitye of the boy, and bade geue him water. The boy ta­kyng the vessel that the water was in, first dranke him self, then ranne away with the rest. The captaine ranne af­ter him hym selfe, but he won [...]e not ouertake hym of a purpose, because he was delited with the Boyes doinge, wherfore he let him go for the nonces, so he gate vp to the priostres & gaue thē drinke. On a time when the Romains [Page]were a [...] theyr sac [...]fyes in the presence of Titus theyr Lorde [...] certay [...]e of the priestes came and besought. Titus that be waulde not ky [...]l them: to whom T [...] ­tus made aunsw [...]r, why do ye wysh to lyue nowe, and n [...]ather to dye with your brether [...] that haue [...] deathe for the Gods sake of thys house? Then T [...]tus commaunded hys menne to [...] them, and so dyed they. After Schimcon and Iehochanan sent embassado [...] Titus to requyer peace, to whom Titus made [...]unswer in [...] wyse, Ye [...] thys thyng to late, and howe cometh, it to passe that ye now intreate, for [...] lyues, when that of so great a number of people, ye haue left none saue a [...]y sewe. When as also ye haue wasted, al thynges most cruelly and despe [...] yt [...] Howe after all these, your mischi [...]ons actes ye reguire peace which ye would neuer receyue of me, althoughe I des [...] ­red you neuer so of [...]e. For it [...]ityed me to see youre people, some to hee vered [...]yth honger, and some to bee caste [Page cclx] [...]ute of the Citye wythoute anye bu­riall. But ye hardened youre neckes and woulde neuer admit anye Peace tyll all the people were destroyed.

Therefore Titus reprehended theim with manye other wordes, saiyng vn­to theim. Tell mee you Sedicious, you wycked and synnefull persones, haue not you slayne the people of the Lorde? You set his house on fire, you brought vpon this Citye all this mis­chiefe. Howe can you therefore per­suade your selues, or presume to desire the sauegarde of [...]our liues? and why will ye liue alone of all the Sages, righteous, innocente, Godlye, and ho­lye menne whom ye haue slayne with­out anye mercye? Howe maye I com­mitte this, not to be ad [...]enged of you that haue done me so much mischiefe? Ye desire lyfe, and yet perseuer and continue in your malyce still, holding your swetdes in your handes, and be­ynge in Armes, neuerthelesse ye entr [...]e [...]es to saue youre lyues. Haue we not nowe taken the Citye, [Page]and also the temple, & the Sanctum san­ctorū, haue wee not burnt it with fire? What is there left for you to put anye hope in, & what loke ye for to remaine? Wherfore cast away your swords, and laie awaye your armoure, & then come vnto me and entreat me, and then shal I knowe what I haue to do, peraduen­ture I shall be gracious vnto you, and pardon you your liues. The captaynes of the sedicious, Schimeon, and Iehochanan made answere to Titus. We haue sworne by the Lorde our God, who is God of heauen & earth [...]at we wil ne­uer bear thy yoke, no [...] thee, nor make any peace with th [...] to be subiect vnto thee. Nowe therfore if it be thy pleasure to shewe vs mercye, suffer vs to go out of the Citye, and we will take our iourney into the wildernesse: whiche if thou wilt graunt vs, we wil reporte that we haue founde fauour at thy hande: if not, wee wyll remayne in this place to see what wee shall de­termyne, and what maner of deathe we wyll dye.

When Titus heard this, he was won­derfully wroth and said, remaineth the pride of your hartes, and the hardnesse of your neckes yet with you still, al­though ye be taken? yet ye dare be so bould to say, we haue sworne that we wil not beare thy yoke? Yea, ye haue sworn vnto death, for ye haue despised life, when as your citye is wonne, the house of the Sanctum sanctorum is burnt, and no refuge is left you. Wher with thē cā ye put away your ignomi­ni & shame, and what is your hope if a man [...]? Then gaue Titus cō ­maunde [...] the Romaines, that they should not omit any oportunity to set vpō the sedicious, & by one meanes or other to destroys Schimeon & Ieho­chanan. There was at time a certain man of the kinges bloud, whose name was Serach, he accompanied withal his brethren and sonnes that were there with him of the kinges bloude, came downe from the Mount S [...]on to Titus, who receiued them honorably & getle­ly ordered them. When Iehochanan & [Page] Schimeon vnderstode that Serach and the rest were gone, and had yelded thē to Titus: they wente and set fire vpon all that was in the kinges palaice, that the Romains should haue no commo­dity therby.

FRom thence they wente to the tem­ple, where they founde certaine no­ble men and captaines, whome Ti­tus had put in authoriti about the tem­ple, of whome three were chiefe: one captaine of the horsmen, the seconde of the charrets, and the thirde of the foote men, him they killed and toke his companiō aliue. This besought them that had taken him, y^t he might be brought to Schimeon their captaine, let hym (saith he) do with me as he lift, and in this one thinge let me finde fauour at your handes. They agreed, & broughte him to Schimeon, who commaunded his seruauntes assone as he was come to flea him. But while he that was a­pointed to this businesse, made delay, and killed him net by and by, he whipt [Page cclxii]downe of the hill, escaped and came to Titus, who commaunded him oute of his sighte, being wroth with him that he had not sought vnto deathe, rather then to be taken quicke. But with the Iewes was he wonderfullye displea­sed, that they had so dispitefullye orde­red his men: wherfore he commaunded to kil all the Iewes as many as could be founde in the streetes of the [...]ye, whome he woulde haue spared before, and caused proclamation to be made throughoute all hys campe for theyr safetye. Then died many of the Iewes, so that euerye place was full of deade bodies. The menne of warre of the E­domites whythe were wyth Schimeon perceiuinge howe the matter wente, they sente Embassadoures to Titus, to desire peace, and to saue theyr lyues: which when it came to Schimeons ear, he wente vnto them, and slue the chiefe of them and their noble men, the rest of the people of the Edomites fledde vnto Titus. From that time forthe Titus [Page]commaunded his men to vse no more truelty vpō the Iewes. Sone after fled Iehochanan and Schimeon, and hid thē selues in certain caues. The rest of the chief mē of the Iewes that were with them seing them nowe to be fled: came nowne from the Mounte vnto Titus, & set downe vpon their face before hym vpon the ground, whome Titus recei­ue [...] gentlelye: As for the sedicious that were w^t Schimeon & Iehochanan, they fought till they al died together. Thē cam forth vnto Titus one Iosua a priest sonne of Schaftai the hie prieste, brin­ging with him two candelstickes of gold which were in the sanctuary, and the tables of gold, with other vessels of siluer and gold, and also the holye ve­stures decked with golde and precious stones, all those he gaue vnto Titus: who made him chiefe priest ouer them that remained nexte vnder Ioseph the priest, for Titus gaue Ioseph authority as wel ouer the priestes and Leuites, as ouer the whole people of y^e Iewes. Then was Gorion the father of Ioseph [Page cclxiii]that writ this history, brought oute of the prison with his wife and children, among whō was one Bonian Iosephs yonger brother, he was a verye wise & a godly priest, by whome god bestow­ed many benefites vpō the Israelites. For Titus lefte him at Ierusalem, and tooke him not with him as he did Io­seph. Iosephes father liued after the ci­ty was taken twenty moneths & died. They tooke then also one Phmeas a prieste who was keper of the treasure house, he bewraied and vttered to the Romains al the treasures of y^e priestes and their vestements: he gaue also vn­to Titus a moosse precious oyle wyth swere o [...]ours and perfumes, and gar­mentes also of purple which y^e kinges of the second temple had geuē. Wher­fore both this Phineas and Iosua whō we mentioned afore, transgressed the couenaunte of the Lord, and offended God, in that they deliuered his iewels to the ennemies of his people, whiche thei ought not to haue done, but rather to haue died for the glory of the Lord, [Page]as the other priestes did, whiche caste them selues into the fire. Thus was y^e city of Ierusalem takē with al the pre­cious thinges that were therein: and Titus went vp to the mount Sion, [...]ke it, and raced the walles therof: Vpon a three daies after Iehochanan sore vert with hunger, leste his place where he lucked, and came to Titus, fell downe afore him and kissed his feete, sayinge: saue me. O Lord king. Titus commau­ded him [...] be fettered with irā cheins, & when he had caused him to be carted about the campe so bound, & to be moc­ked of al men by the space of .vii. daies he commaunded to han [...] him, & so gate he a iuste ende and fit rewarde for his cruelty. After ware came Schimeon al­so forth of his den, being driuē with fa­min, he had out on king ye apparel, & shewed him self a far of to y^e Romaine host: who seing him, were afraide to go to him, but he called vnto thē & askt fo [...] s [...]me captaine. Then one came forth & s [...]id vnto Schimeon, tel me who y^e art, & I wil not kil thee. Schimeon answered [Page cclxiiii]therefore & tolde him, I am Schimeon, that sedicious Captaine of the Iewes whiche haue made you so muche a not now I beseche thee shew me so muche sauour as to bring me to Titus thi master, which he did. Titus therfore when he saw Schimeon, he cōmaunded him to be fast bound and to be [...]ed about the whole host, that he might be deluded & m [...]ckt. Afterward he was put to a fore death: first his head was striken of, thē he was cut in many peces and cast vn­to dogges, so he died an abhominable death being punished for his iniquity.

THe number of the Iewes aswell citizens as other that came vnto y^e feast to Ierusalem, whiche were flaine partly by the Romaines, partly by the sedicious, duringe the whole tyme of those war [...]es was knowen to be thus many, eleuenth hundreth thousand, be­sides them whose noumber was not knowen. Onlye they were counted which were slaine & buried, besides thē also, that after y^e death of Iehochanan & [Page] Schimeon, died with Eleasar the sonne of Anam the priest, whiche were not reckened. Thei that were led prisoners by Titus to Rome, were .xvi. M. men. Titus therfore with Ioseph wente to Rome, leauing Bonian Iosephs brother at Ierusalem, who was appointed the chiefe priest of them that abode there, for that did Ioseph request of Titus, whiche he perfourmed. The sedicious were all slaine in that battaile whiche they toke in hand for the peoples sake, and the temple of the Lord▪ They also that Titus toke prisoners were put to vile deathes. For he reserued many to be mocking stocks in euery [...] wh [...]re he passed by in his way is Rome; and in euery towne he commaunded some to be brought forthe and caste vnto the Lions, til they were al confumed.

THere was a certain people [...] that time dwelling amongst the mou­taines of Arat, that were called Ala­mites, whose power Alexander king of Macedonia fearinge, closed them in on euery side. This people although they [Page cclxxv]had no knowledge of the vse of yron, nor armour, yet this was their maner: that one of thē with a great poal burnt a little at the ende, would put to flight a hundred good souldiours, were they neuer so well appointed and armed. Vntill this yeare they were alwayes shut in: but now being oppressed with a great dearth and famine throughout al their land, they sent Embassadours to the People of Hurkan their neigh­bours, requiring them that thei would open the straightes of the mountayns, that they might come forth with their wiues and children to seke theim fode. The Hurkans graūted their requests, opened them the entrances of the moū ­tains. So they came forth, wanderyng here and there, and spoilynge diuerse countreis, til at lengthe they toke their iourneye towarde the Mountaines of the land of Madai, where thei found horses, namelye in the desert of Madai, amongste the people of Araf, they gate those horses, leapt vpon theim, and en­tred the lande of Madai. The president [Page]or ruler of the countrey hearyng there­of, fled vnto the highest hilles, leauyng his wife and children behinde hym for haste, he was fo afraied of the Alanits knowing their valiantnesse. Sraight waye he sent to them imbassadours to make peace with them, and he woulde let them haue vittails, vpon this condi­cion that thei should not spoile his coū ­trey. They made aunswere, if so be it he would kepe them, and let them haue fode for the space of one monthe, syll the corne in their owne countrey were ripe: they would returne home agayne at the monethes ende. For we desire not (saie they) thy golde or siluer, be­ing men seperated from al entercourse & traffique with other people, nor anye thinge els then fode we seke not. This the ruler graunted theim, and let them haue a certaine graine called Mill, sod­den with one kinde of fleshe or other. The number of them was vil, 155140. thousād a hundreth, fifty, and fiue thousande, a hundreth & forty persons. When the moneth was ended, and the Alanites [Page cclxvi]vnderstode the corn in theyr own coū ­trey was ripe, they departed out of the lande of Madai accordyng as they had sworne, & returned toward their owne countrey. And as they were a geynge homeward, Mithridates king of Ararat came against them to anoy them, min­dyng to driue theim from his coastes, least they should waste his countrey. Therefore while thei passed throughe his countrey going toward their own: Mithridates made warre vpon thē, but his men were beaten doun by the Ala­nites, like as Camelles fall vppon the ground whē a strong man treades thē downe. Then one of the yong men of the Alanites in dispite put a rope about Mithridates necke, and drew him after him vnto his great shame. Mithridates gate out his sworde, and cut a sunder the rope & fled. To whom the Alanites loking back, said: Go thy way, get thee home, and moue no more warre vpon vs hereafter, for we were not minded to waiste thy Lande, nor to kyll thy people. For if we had euer intended it, [Page]could we not haue done it longe ag [...]e, when as nothinge is betwixt vs & you but the mountains of Ararat? But we wer of this minde, that we shold great­ly offend to kil mē of our owne shape & likenesse. Se now how Alexāder which went about to subdue the hole earth, & to declare his power, closed vs vp with in our land, why? bicause he was afrai­ed we should come out vpon him. But we laught him to scorne when hee did it. If we had listed, we could haue let­ted him from shutting vs in, & to make no peace with him, but we forced not of his doinges. For it is our custome to kepe vs within our countrey, we seke none other land, whē as our own land is better then anye other. It pleased vs well that he inclosed vs, that the cruell wild beasts which are in the moūtains of Ararat could haue no passage to vs. The cause whi we came out now was nothing els, then that we were greued with a great derth: and we determined to be no lenger from home, then tyll our owne fruites waxte ripe, and then [Page cclxxvii]to returne as you se we do. If we had bene minded to winne your lande, had we not bene able vtterly to haue ouer­come you, and to haue gotten the domi­nion ouer you? But nether ye nor your countrey did euer delite vs greatly, for our maners differ farre frō yours. Be­holde the kinge of Madai, when he had kepte vs for a moneth, we did him no harme, we are not wonte to hurt men as ye are, that can not be content with your owne state, but must encroche v­pon other mennes inheritaunce. Now therfore go and returne to your owne countrey, and so wil we to ours, with­out doing you any more harme: wher­fore ye nede not be afrayed of vs. So the Alamites went home to their own countreis, hauing slain of Mithridates people .ccc. thousande men, and neuer a one of their owne was killed. Titus hearinge of this, was desis [...]ous to go vnto theim, to shewe theim his va­leantnesse, but he coulde not doe it, be­cause al his best men were spent in the warres at Hierusalem. Wherefore he [Page]determined to return to Rome after he had take Ierusalē, wher he abode as yet besides the Antochia. There he had in­telligēce that diuers of the Iewes were gathered together, with whō was Ele­asar the sonne of Anani the priest, who during the siege, fled vnto a certain ca­stle called Mezira, wherupon manye of the Iewes resorted to him. Titus hea­ringe this, that many had ioyned them selues to Eleasar, feared least after his departure, Eleasar woulde from thence make a rode & take Ierusalē, so kill vp al the Romains, & be an offence to the Romaine Empire. Wherfore he made out against him, & sent thither one Sil­cham a noble manne of Rome, with a great hoste to besiege Mezira, but he coulde not get it. Wherfore he sente vnto Titus for an yron ramme to bat­ter the Walles wythall. Whiche after he hadde receiued, hee beat doune the walles of Mezira ther­wyth. The Iewes seing that, raysed a great coun [...]ermure within of wodde and [...]ymber, whiche the Romaynes set [Page cclxviii]fire in, and bu [...]nt. After that they as­saulted the towne from mornynge tyll nyght, at what tyme the R [...]maynes left of, supposynge they were not able to preuayle againste Eleasars defence in the darke.

ELeasar in the mean season called to­gether all the chiefe men of the Ie­wes that were with him, and said vn­to theim in this wise. Come hither ye sede of Abraham and kingly priesthode whiche haue vntill this daye euer pre­uailed against the enemies of God, let vs heare your aduise what is best to be done agaynste this multitude that is comed vpon vs at vnwares, ye see that at this time chieflye it becommeth vs to folow the courage and valeauntnes of our forefathers, wherwith thei were in time past indued. Cōsider moreouer y^e euery thing hath his end, and y^t there are sometimes in wars whē as mē are wonte to folowe the pursute, somtime to flee from the same whō thei pursued & to hūble them selues before thē. And [Page] It is no shame to be humbled and dis­graced, vvhen as all thinges haue their determinate ende. Albeit who so is of a haute courage, he must so establishe his heart, that he quaile not with fear, then shal he be demed a valiaunt man? If ye therfore be of that courage that ye feare not death: then will I call you valiaunt menne, and worthely? Consi­der the fortitude of Abraham our fa­ther, and the fact that he did, for hauing but one onelye sonne, whom Sara bare vnto him in her age, he neuer staggerd nor staied at it to offer him vp to y^e lord God for a burnte offerynge. For hes thought not that he shoulde kyll hym, but perswaded him selfe most certainly that he should promote him to the life & light of the lord, for as much as for the loue of God, & at his cōmaundement he should haue killed him. Wey the thing that Ioschiiahu the iust kinge did, who settyng at nought this wretched life, & aspiring to euerlastyng felicitie, would not auoyde the ieopardye of hys lyfe, when as as he might haue done it. For [Page cclxxix]althoughe Pharao Necho said he came not against him, but against the kinge of the Chaldeis: yet wold not Ioschiia­hu heare him, but rather procedinge a­gainste Pharao in armes, was slaine in the battaile, and went vnto that great lights in the garden of paradise, which is the lot & enheritance of the iust. We know that in this world no mā recei­ueth the reward of his righteousnesse, but it is laid vp for him in y^e otherworld where he shall reape the frute of hys righteousnesse, that he hathe sowne in this world. Nether dothe longe life in this world profit a mā to thobtaining of euerlastinge blisse, excepte he worke righteousnes, & lead his soule forthe of darknes into light: like as cōtrariwise, shortnesse of life hindreth no mā from euerlastinge happinesse, if so be it hys soule haue no defecte in those thinges that pertein to the world to come. For Abell whiche was slaine of hys bro­ther, liued no longe life: yet whan he had ended it, he obteined euerlastinge rest. But Kain that liued longe in thys [Page]world, was a wanderer & a runnagate in this earth, and after this life, wēt to perpetual miserye. Nowe therfore, my brethren, if we also shal liue anye lon­ger, our life shalbe a miserable life, and our daies, daies of vanitye and trauel: yea, our soule as long as it shal remain in this body, it shalbe tossed with great [...]r [...]bulation: but if it once go forth, then shall it reioyse and neuer be afraide. And all the dayes that it is in the bo­dye, it neuer linneth weepinge and mourninge, for it is the spirite of life, whiche is hedged in within the bodye, sinnewes, bones, and other members, none otherwise then if it were bounde with chaines. The spirite is also that which quickneth the fleshe, that is takē of the duste of the earthe, for fleshe can not quicken the spirite. Besides this, the spirite is that which obserueth and marketh the fleshe, and searcheth the workes therof, so longe as it is in the body. Yea, the fleshe can not se the spi­rite, but the spirite seeth the fleshe al­wayes, neither is there anye member [Page cclxx]of the bodye hidde from it. The eyes also of the bod [...]e cā not perceiue what time the spirite resorteth to the fleshe and departeth from the same, for the spirite of manne, whiche is hys soule, is from heauen: but the fleshe is taken from the earthe. Wherefore the soule maye remaine withoute the body, but not likewise the bodye wythoute the soule, and when the spirite comes to the flesh, it visiteth it as a neighbour is wonte to goe and see his neighboure, and quickeneth it: and when againe it departeth from it, the fleshe dieth, and if the soul wil folowe the desires of the fleshe, then thys is the deathe of the soule: but if it geue no eare vnto the fleshe, then shall the soule come to the lighte of life, and the fleshe shall dye. Wherfore the soule is glad whē it de­parteth out of y^e body, like as one that hath bene bound, is wel apaid whē he is dimissed oute of prisone, for all the while that the soule is kept closed in y^e flesh, it is as it were a slaue, in mooste hard & greuous bondage, vnder a hard [Page]master. Therfore whē it departeth frō the body, it is glad, because it muste go to the garden of paradise, thus ye see that in this life the soule is compared to a bond seruaunt & slaue. Much more then this did he reason of thimmorta­lity and blessednesse of the soule before them, whiche we haue omitted here: & when he had done that, he lamented & wept moste bitterlye for the case of the city of Ierusalem, saying.

VVhere is now the city of Ierusalē, that great & populous city? where is that most beautiful citye of Siō, that holy city which made merye the whole earth? Oh thou worship of Israell, the mirthe of our heartes, whither is thy glory come? where is thi magnificence O Ierusalem, where be the hils of the doughter of Sion? where be her kings and princes? where be the kinges that were wonte to come to inquire of her welfare in her gates? where are her sa­ges and elders, her yong and most va­valeaunt men, which were iocund and mery in her stretes, vpō her sabbathes [Page cclxxxi]& festiual daies? where is her famous sanctuarye, the dwelling of thalmigh­ty god? where is the house of Sanctum sanctorum, the habitacion of holinesse, wherin no man might set his fote but the hie priest, whiche in all ages onlye once a yeare entred into it? But now, O Ierusalem, thou wast once repleni­shed with people, & renowned amōgste kinges, beloued of God, in thee was e­stablished the seate of the kingdome of [...]ustice and iudgemente, whose streetes were paued with moste precious mar­ble, whose walles glisterd and shined with the same stone, whose gates eue­rye one were plated with golde and siluer, whose wals were builded with great stones moste honorablye, whose priestes in the middes of the sanctuary like to angels of God and princes of holinesse, with sacrifices and burnt of­ferings made the lord louing to thee & thy people. How art thou now stuffed ful of slaine men and carcases, whyche haue pearished some by the sword, som by famin? and how are thi sonnes that [Page]dwelt in thee, & the straungers also y^e resorted vnto thee, to honor thy feastes, fallen now in thee? How art thou fal­len from the hight of thy pride, & how art thou set a fire and brent euen vnto thy foundations, and art left desolate & solitary? What eye is so hard that can beholde thee? what hart so stonye that can abide to see thee? How art thou be­come a buriyng place of carkases? and how are thy stretes made void and de­stitute of liuing creatures, & they whi­che heretofore were replenished wyth liuing, are now stuffed with dead. How hath the ashes of fire couered thee, that the sunne can not come at thee? Howe do the aunciente men which in times past did sit in the midst of thee, in y^e seat of wisdom, iuogment, and iustice: now they sit by the carcases of their childrē, to driue awaye crowes and beastes frō thē, hauing their hoar heades be syrin­kled with dust & ashes, in stead of their glorye? And those wemen thy dough­ters that are lefte, they remaine in the houses of thē that made thee desolate, [Page cclxxii]not that they may liue, but to be vnha­lowed and polluted? who shall see all these thinges in thee, and shal desire to liue rather then to die? who knowing thy magnificence that thou haddest of late, and nowe shall see thine ignomi­nye and the dishonour of the same, wil not chuse to dye? And woulde God we had bene dead before, y^e we might not haue seene in thee thy reproch, or who would bring to passe y^e we might lacke eyes, that we shuld not be compelled to see these mischeues y^e are in the mids of thee? And behold we liue a most sorowful life, for our enemies euē now afore we be dead, cast lots vpon our sonnes & daughters to deuide thē amōgst thē to be their seruātes & handmaids. When Eleasar had ended this lamentacion, he spake to y^e people y^t was w^e him, thus.

NOw therfore brethrē & frends take pitye of your selues, your wiues, & children, with old men which he with you, let thē not be led into bōdage with out al merci, y^e they be not cōstreined to mourn vnder y^e hāds of their enemies: [Page]for if ye do this, ye leese withoute all doubte, all places that are prepared for you in the world of rightousnesse, nei­ther shall ye haue any part in the light of life. But rather with your owne handes kil them, thus if ye wil do, they shalbe coūted as sacrifices most accdp­table vnto God, and that done, we wil after issue out vpon oure enemies, and fight against them till we vse valeātly for the glory of the lord, for we wil ne­ner suffer them to bind vs with bōdes and cheins as bond slaues in y^e handes of the vncircumcised. Nether wil we se our aunciente men to be haled by the berdes before our eyes most miserably, nor yet oure maides, wifes, and dough­ters to be vnhalowed and defloured, nor oure sonnes criynge to vs and we can not helpe them, for what shal oure life auaile vs, after that our land is de­solate, our sanctuary pulled downe, the Romains rauishe our wiues & dough­ters before our eyes, and oppresse oure sonnes with a most greuous and hard yoke? Nowe therfore it is better for vs [Page cclxxiii]to kil al our wiues and childrē, whose bloud God shal accepte thankfullye as the blud of burnt offerings, & after▪ we wil issue out vpon the Romains, fight til we be al destroyed, & die for the glo­ry of the Lord our God. These menne therfore wente and gathered together their wiues and doughters, embrased [...] and kissed them, saying: is it not better for you to die in your holy coun­try honorabli then to be led away into houdage with great ignomini & shame into the landes of your ennemies, and be compelled to die before the idols of the gentiles? These saiynges whē the people had beard: thei droue forth that night in great sorow and pensifenesse, weping and makinge great lamen [...] ­cion, but they all confest with one ac­corde that they had rather chuse to die then liue. Therefore assone as it was daye▪ Eleasars companions killed their wines and children, caste their bodies into the [...]esterns and welles that were in Mezirah, couering and stepving thē with earth. Afterward issued Eleasar y^e [Page]priest forth of the town withal his mē, and [...]orced a battel vpon the Romains, of whē the Iewes killed a great forte, and fought so long till they al died mā ­fully for the Lord God.

BUt Titus left a remnaunt of Israel in the citye Iafnah and the villages thereabout, and in the estye Bitter, and Aossa & their villages, in whiche place Rabban Iochanan sonne of Sakkai was appointed chief. Bonian the priest yon­ger brother to Iosephe the Prieste, was put in authority by Titus for Iosephs sake, ouer al the Iewes which were at Ierusalem. At y^e same time was Rasch bag a prince of Israel put to [...]ath▪ and Ischmael, sōne of Elischa the [...] priest. Moreouer, Titus was minded to ha [...] put Rabban Gamaliel, father of Ra [...]ch­bag to deathe, but Rabban Iochanan; sonne of Sakkai, made sute for him, and obteined to saue his life. This Rabban Iochanan was he that came forthe of Ierusalem in the beginning whē Vas­pasian father of Titus came firste a­gainst Ierusalem, whō Vaspasian ho­noured [Page cclxxiiii]greatly, in so much as when he returned to Rome, he commended this Rabban Iochanan to his sonne Titus, comaunding him to honor him, for he perceiued he was a verye wise man. Titus reigned two yeares after he had taken Ierusalem and died. He was a very eloquent man, expert in the Latin and Greke tong, & writ diuers workes in both the tonges. He loued moste in­tirely iustice and equitye, for he wasted the city of Ierusalem against his wil, & being compelled therunto. Yea, all the mischiefe that came vpon it, happened through the malice and noughti­nesse of the sedicious, as we haue touched before. And thus far of the warres of the second house.

¶ Thus endeth the destruction of Ierusalem. Nn. ii.