chapter 1 Zurich part A Dan. xi b. WHen Philopater had vn­derstande by thoos that were comen agayne that Antiochus had taken frō hym suche holdes as he had, he raysed all hys army aswell fote men as horsemen, and taking with him his sister Arsinoe, he ranne out euen af­fare as the countries of Raphia, that were borderynge vpon hym, where Antiochus host camped. And one Theodotus, thynkynge to brynge the matter to passe by craftye traines, when he hadde taken the strongest men of armys, that were put vnto hym by Ptolomeus, in the night he gat him to Ptolomeus tent to kyll hym vnwares, and so make an end of the battel. But Dositheus called the sonne of Drimilius a Iewe borne, and afterwardes forsakyng the Lawe, [Page] and tourned from hys fathers ordinaū ces, whiche was hired for the purpose, put in hys steede in the tente an other poore man, which chaunsed to be slayn for him. And as they fought fearcely together. But Antiochus moare. Arsinoe went diligently about her men, wering pitifully, her heare about her shuldars, and desyred them, that they would healpe her valiauntly, promisinge to gy [...] vnto euery of there wiues and children, yf the had the vyctory two poundes of golde. Thys is chaunsed that there enemies were ouer thrownen, and many taken. Then whan he hadde thus dysa­pointed there traines, he went about y^e cities that were next, and thought to cō fort them wyth wordes, whiche when he had done, he gaue 3. Ma­cha. h. gyftes vnto ther churches, and conforted the subiectes hartes. part B And when the Iewes had sent the elders of there counsailours to Philopater to salute hym, berynge gyftes and to shewe there, for the thyngs that he hadde done, it fortuned that he hadd a greater desyre to go to theym assone as might be. So he came to Ierusalem and dyd sacrifice to the moste myghtye God, and whē he had done, he dyd to y^e [Page] place as was conuenient. Mathe. xxiiij.a. Luk. xxi a. Mar. xii a. And after when he was come in, he wondred to see the costly worcke, and meruelynge at the fine buyldynge of the temple, he desyred to go also into the innar taber­nacle that was holiest of all. But when they denyed hym sayenge it was not leafull, no not to eny that were borne there, to go in, not so much as for y^e priestes them selues saue only for the chea­ffe byshopExo. xxx b. Leui. xvi g. Heb. ix.a, & that but onse in the yere onlye, yet woulde he not betourned one wyth. And when they reade vnto him y^e law, yet would he not cease, but said he mult nedes go in. And al though this honor was denied vnto thē, yet y^e it ought not to be so vnto him, & axed thē, why no mā yet stopped him frō going in to eny tēples. And whē one had made answere vnaduisedlye, y^t they did well because they did not, but this quoth he, shall be done & let the cause what so eny the lyst, he would in whither they would or not. part C Zurich part B ij. Mach iij.c. And when the pryestes hadde fallen w^t there faces vpō the ground and were in all there vestimentes, and prayed vnto the highest god, to helpe them in the­re moste nede, and that he woulde put [Page] awaye his strenght that threatened to hurt them, & had filled the temple with cryeng and weapinge, the rest that we­re in the cytye beyng greatly amased, & not knowyng what hadde happened, came out as fast as they could. Vir­gens that were in the chaumbers, & wo­men in child bed ran forth, casting dust vpon there heddes and filling the streat with morning and lamentacion. And the banners that they had a lytle before prepared to go meat hym, forgettynge the maner that be came them, they bare them about the cytye and forsakynge y^e young infantes, bothe mothers & mer­ses ran wanderinge about the streates, some one waye, some another into the hyghe temple, and beynge gathered together, striued diuersly agaynste those thynges whyche he wyckedly wente a­boute. part D Besides this the cityzens moued wyth bouldnes, woulde not suffer hym to rushe in, and accomplesh hys purpo­se but toke them to there weapons, and wyth great cryes redy to suffer death, they styrred vp a great busynes in that place, but yet remoued back by the priestes and seniores, they came agayne to [...] [Page] earth, part B ij Par vi a. &. vij.c hast chosē this city, and hast halowed thys place to honor the in all though that thou hast nede of nothing, and haste made it goodly to be sene to thyne owne prayse & glory of thy great and riall name. For the loue also of the house of Israell thou haste promysed that when we haue arred, wherby troubles shoulde come vpon vs yf we come in to thys place to praie that thou wilt heare our praiers. And verely thou art faythfull and full of trouth. And by cause thou hast often holpen our forfa­thers, Read Iudicum y^e whole boke ouer whē they haue byne oppressed wyth trouble. And hast delyuered them out of great perels, & now also beholde (O holy kinge) that we for our many & great sinnes be pressed and in our enemies subiectiō, faule doune in or misery for lack of strenght, and that thys stouber­ne and vnclene person goeth aboute to defyle thy holy place, whych is dedicat here in the earth to thy holy name (for o­ther wyse thy house is in heauen a pla­ce y^t nomā can come vnto) I saye be­thou cause of thyne awne good wyll y^t hast gyuen thys glory to thy people in dedicatynge thys place vnto the, laye [Page] not to our charg y^e vnclenlinesse of thees men nor correct vs for the vnhalowing of y^t thees wicked persons may not bost in there mindes and a vaunce with the­re tounges that they haue destroied our holy tēple, as they do treade vnder foot all other temples that thou hatest, put out our sinnes & strypke awaie our faw­tes and nowe shewe thy mercye. Lett vs haue thy mercye shortelye and ma­ke the monthes of them that be fallen and broken prayse the and geue vs pea­ce. Then he that seeth all thynges, and God of al the most holiest, hearing the­re lawful prayer driuynge hym hether and thether, whyche was puffed vp by vyolence and great stoubernes, euen as the wynd doth the read, dyd so scourge hym, that now he laie vpon the ground meate for nothynge losed in all the partes of the body and iustly wrapped in punyshemente was not able to speake one worde. Wherfore hys frendes and gard that kept hys body, beholdynge hys sodeyn punyshemente, where wyth he was oppressed fearynge also least he woulde dye. Sryken wyth great feare, they droue hym out. And after when he was come again to him selfe, al though [Page] he was punyshed, yet repented he no­thinge, but went hys wayes, and trea­tened them sore, so when he was comē agayne in to Egypt, as we! by hys ow­ne encrease in myschefe, as by his other fealowes, iij. Mach a. y^t holpe hym whyche were past all goodnes, not only he gaue hym selfe to innumerable lustes, but waxed so made to speake yuell euery where, & many of hys frendes, knowyng the kinges mynde, part D folowed hys wyll also, and whan the kynge hadde determyned to put to open shame the nacion of the Ie­wes, he caused to be ingrauen wyth let­ters in a towre, that he hadde in hys palace, that noman whyche would not do sacrifice, shoulde entre in to the temples of the Egyptyans, and that all the Ie­wes there goodes beyng seased, should be brought to slauerye, to the whyche thyng, yf eny agayne sayde that they should dye, and yf eny woulde be come seruauntes, that they should be brēte in the bodyes wyth the marck of an yuy leaf, for y^t was Bacchus bage. And such as would do so, he woulde they should in ioye thys lawe, and not dye. But by cause he woulde seme not to be angry [Page] with all he wrot vnder nethe y^t yf eny a­mong them, that were in solomen holy orders, hadde rather to dwell amonge them, that then they shoulde be takē for cytyzens, as well as the Alexandrians. Zurich part F So some in the cyte, whiche hated the degrees of the Relygyon in the cytye, yelded them selfes, as thoughe they should gett great glorye, by accompa­nynge wyth the kynge. But many that were of ualyant courage would not go from there godlynes. But redemynge there lyues for mony, went boldly to de­lyuer them selfes because, they woulde not be come seruauntes hauynge good hope to haue helpe and thoos that fell from them, then abhorred them, and toke them for enemyes of there nacyon and shot them for hauynge eny thing to do wyth them.

chapter 3 part A VWhen he vnderstod thees thinges, that wicked mā was so angry that not onlye he shewed hys angre at Alexandrya, but waxed a greauous enemye to all them that dwelt in other partes of the coun­trye, and commaunded all to be gathe­red [Page] to gether assone as myghte be, and to be kylled. Whyle thees thynges were a doynge agaynste the Iewes there went a great fame that now those mē, which entended to do hurt, hadde occacion gi­uen them, they woulde so do, to let the lawes that they myghte not be kepte a­mongest them. Zurich part G But the Iewes kept styl there fidelytye, and loue towarde the kyng, but by cause the wourshiped god and liued after his lawes, they shut out some from amongest them and sent thē awaye, wherfore they apperyd to some to be enemyes, when they lyuynge wel and iustly, they were worthy to be commended of all men. As for the good de­des that were spoken of in euerye place of that naciō, y^e straungers set naughte bye. But in the communicacyons they reproued the dissension in their maners and wourshippinges, sayeng, that they and nether the kynge, nor the powres, but that they were enemyes and clene agaynste the common profettes. And it were no small thynges, that thees mē founde fawt at. But the grecyans that were in the cytye wronged in nothyng perceyuynge this soden tumult against [Page] thees men, and that people came haste­ly runnynge to gether, seyng they were not able to helpe because all was ruled by tyranny, were greatly angry and cō forted them and loked for a chaunge, & that thys hasty factyon could not indu­re. part B Theyr neyghbours also and frendes and such as bargeyned wyth them, cal­lynge some men pryuelie, promysed thē there helpe, and all that they could ma­ke. But he waxen prowde by this pros­peryty, and not consyderyng the power of the greatest God, but thynckynge y^e he shoulde haue al wayes hys purpose, wrott this epystel agaynst the Iewes. Kynge Ptolomens Philopater to the capitaine and sodiers in Egypt where­soeuer the be sendith health and greting As forme I am in good health, and my maters are wel and in good state. Zurich part H iij. Mach a. Af­ter we hadde taken oure iourney into Asya as you know, and that we hadde redy souccours gyuen vnto vs of the go­des & thorough our strenghte, we had finyshed our ioyrney euen al, we would desyre, we thought not by vyolence of armyes, but to entyse by gentelnes and much humanyt ye, the people that dwel [Page] in Celosyrya and Phenicya and to provoke them wyth our benefytes, and af­ter we had sene many cities and chur­ches, we were moued to go vp to Ieru­salem to honor the temple of those mis­cheuous persons, part C whyche wyll euer be made. And they in wordes shewed thē selfes glad of our comming, but in dede were falsly minded, when we desyred to go in to ther holyest place & to adour­ne it with excellēt & goodly gyftes, then moued after the old pryde, would not let vs come in, not knowinge our pour, and the humanyty, that we shewe vnto all men. And sheweynge there hatfull harte vnto vs, as though ther were no­ne but they, they woulde admytte no Lawfull offer, for the stubbornes that they bare agaynste kynges, and glory in the benefactors, we moued with the madenes, and that after our victory we were come agayne into Egypte, vsyng gentelnes towarde all nacyons, dyd as it became vs, and by proclamacion de­clarynge to forget in thys matter all y^e iniuries of ther kindred, as wel for ther fealoshyp, as for that in the beginning thorow simplicitye, we committed to y^e [Page] infinite busines, we enterprised to chaū ­ge there estate, and made them cityzens of Alexandrya, iij Mach c. and receiued thē to be partakers of the perpetual pryesthode, Yet they taking the thynge otherwyse, and refusynge thys our goodnes, euen of a certayne natural euyll hart, alwayes redy to euyll, dyd not onlye shaum­fully refuse and despyse our citie, but al so in wordes and dedes, fewe of them beare vs good wyll, trustynge alwayes that shortly we shal come to a shamfull death. part D Zurich part I Wherfore coniecturynge suere­ly, that they are, all the means the can yuell mindyd toward vs, and forseyng that they should not sodenly rayse a tu­multe, and that we should haue at our backes thees wicked traitours and cru­ell enemyes, we thought goode to gyue you in commaundemente, that as sone as the epystell shall be delyuered vnto you, that euen the same daye, those that be in wryttynge, with there wyues and chyldren, fast bounde in yron chaynes wyth much vexacyon be sent vnto vs, to theyre great calamitye, and shamful slaughter, and as it is meate for enemyes. For as sone as we shall haue punis­hed [Page] thees, we thinke one matters shal afterwardes stand sure and in good con­dycyon. And yf eny man from the hy­ghest to the lowest, defēd eny Iewe yea and if it be but a sucking chylde, let him with al his household be moost shaum­fully tormented, and he that wyll bring eny of theyr names besydes that he shal haue all the goodes of the condempned person, he shal haue also of the kynges gyfte two thousande grootes of syluer, and a garland of libertye. And in what place so euer a Iewe shal be found to be receyued, let it be roasted with fier, and for euer be made vnmete for eny man to dwell in, and thys was the copye of hys epystell.

chapter 4 part A AND wheter so euer thys proclamacion was brought the people made common feas­tes wyth great ioy and gladnes, the old maleyce y^t was hardened in there myn­des, now when they hadde lycense, she­wing it selfe forth. But the Iewes were in great mournyng, and lamentably cō ­plained gronynge in ther hartes and bewaylynge that sentence of death was [Page] thys sodenly gyuen agaynste thē, what offyce or citie, or what place inhabited, what hye wayes was not full of ther waylynge and mournyng, for they wer sent awaye by so bitter and cruell a sē ­tence of the cheyfe offycers in the citye, that for the straunge kynde of punysh­mentes, sōme of there enemyes, settinge before ther eyes the myseryes that may happen to all men and remembryng in theyr mynde the incertayne chaunge of thys lyffe, they dyd bewayle theyr py­tyfull sendynge awaye. Zurich part K For there were led a great sort of olde men with graye heddes, and there legges croked for a­ge, whyche were threatened and rebu­ked & made go fast whether they would or no. part B And the maydens that were late­ly maryed, in steade of pleasure hadde mournynge, and there heare that was embawmed, was now all dostyed, and the sang mournyng songes in steade of Ioyfull ballades, and all to vexed with straunge women, they were bound and pocked to gether euen tyll the came to shyppynge. There husbandes also ha­uynge halters about there neckes in steade of garlantes, being in there yong [Page] and floryshynge yeares, in the stede of myrth and quyetnes pasted the reste of there maryage dayes in mornyng, and sawe death before there feete. And they were caryed awaye lyke wylde beastes, and drawen wyth chaynes, some were bounde to toppes of shippes by the neck and other were fetered so that they coulde not be vndone, and tables set o­uer there heddes by cause they shoulde not see, all the whyle the sayled. part C When they hadde thus ledde them to shyppe, whē the iorney was done as the kinge commaunded, he hadde he shoulde be set in the tentes, in y^e great roume wher horses that is before the cytye do run­ne, for an example of punyshemente to all men that came in to the cytye, and that go out in to the countrye, nether wyllynge them to be among the men in hys armye, nor yet with in the compas­se of hys walles. Zurich part L When this was done and that he heard saye that certeyne of ther nacyon was gone pryuelye out of the cytye, and dyd often bewayle thys shamfull mysery of there bretheren, be­ynge angrye, he commaunded them al­so to be handled after the same maner [Page] that the other were, there punyshement nothynge to be diminyshed, and that al there kyndred by name shoulde be at­taynted. For he sayde that he woulde not take any of them in to paynful ser­uyce, but that in one day he would slay them al with such punyshment as hath not bene dyuysed. So they were procla­mid traytours most bytterlye, and the sessyons was kept continewally from the rysynge of the sonne to the goinge downe and yet was it not xl. daies. part D iij. Ma­cha. v. In the meane tyme the kyng full of greate and continewal ioy, kept feastes before all the Images, hys mynde farre from the trouth and wyth a wycked mouth praysyng dōme thynges whych coulde nether speake nor helpe, and agaynst al reason blaspheming the God of night, and after that, when the scrybes hadde shewed the kinge, that they were able to punyshe the Iewes no lengar for the great multytude of them, for many of them was scatered abrode in the con­trey, some yet at whome and some in o­ther places so that it was a thynge im­possyble to do for all the offycers in E­gypte, the kynge threatened them sore, [Page] as though they had binne hyred to help them for gyftes. Yet so it fortuned that they persuaded hym shewyng euydent­ly that they lacked both paper and pennes to serue thē, And thys was the plaine worcke of hys prouydence, whych did sende helpe to the Iewes from hea­uen.

chapter 5 part A Zurich part M THen after he had sent for Hermon master of hys Ele­phantes beyng full of great and vnpleasable anger i. Mach vi.d. Iose­phus againste Appyon in hys secoūd bo­ke. so commaunded y^t the next daye there shoulde be gyuen to hys elephantes great quantytye of fra­grant scence with much wine to drinck that when the hadde myghtely droun­ken they myghte be broughte in starcke madde to kyll the Iewes. And when he had commaunded thees thynges, cal­lynge together hys frends and y^e cheife of hys armye which were cruelly min­ded agaynste the Iewes, he gat hym to hys feast. But Hermā the master of his elephantes did his commaundementes handsomly, and his seruauntes came a­bout euenyng and bounde the sely sou­les handes, and dyd all thynges that [Page] was to be done amongest them, thync­kynge aboute twilyghte to kyll all the whole nacyon. Nowe the Iewes semed to the Gentiles to be destytude of souc­coure bycause they were so hard bound wyth banndes, but all they wyth one voyce wyth teares called vpon the om­nipotent Lord, and there mercifull God and father which was aboue al powre. Desyryng hym to tourne awaye thys wycked deuyse taken against them, and that by hys royall commyng, he would take there fete out of thys desteuye. part B And thus they prayed toward heauen conti­newallye. But Hermon whyche hadde filled thoos cruel elephātes with drinc­ke ynough & frankenscense, came ear­ly in the mornynge to the court to tell y^e king of it. Zurich part N But that goodly worckman­shyp of day and nyght, made from the begynyng of the worlde, and whych is sent of him, that gyueth lardgly vnto al that he wyll, was partly sent vnto the kyng, for i. Regū. xxvi.b. he was fast in slepe & was much deceaued of hys cruell purpose, & frustrat of his angry iudgment. So the Iewes when they had passed the tyme, that was appoynted, they praysed there [Page] holy God, and prayed vnto him agayn that he woulde shewe vnto the prowde Gentyles, the strengt of hys myghtye hand. Now whē it was halfe an howre almost past tenne of the clocke, hys ser­uaunt seing that many ware come that he had sent for, he came and waked the kynge, and thold hym, the slepe yet scāt out of hys eyes, that dynner tyme pas­sed awaye, and thold hym of the men y^t were cōme. And the kyng remembring, he went where they were and commaū ded thē y^t were come to dynner to sytt ryght agaynst him, and so doing, he ex­horted them to eate and to ma­ke mery al the diner while. And as they fell in long talkynge, the kynge sent for Hermon, and axed shortly, why the Ie­wes wer suffered a lyue that day. And when he had shewed that he had done hys cōmaundement that night, and his frendes had borne wytnes to the same, more cruell then Phalaris, well quoth he, let them thynck that I slepe so longe to daye, but thow wythout tarieng, pre­pare men & the elephantes agaynste to morowe euen after the same facyon to kyll thees Iewes cruelly. When all they y^t were there were glad had prai­sed [Page] thys commaundemente of the kyn­ges euerye man wente whome to hys owne house, where they bestowed the night, not so much in slepe, but to deuise as it was thought, al maner of meanes howe to mock thees selye soules. Zurich part O So as soune as y^e cock cruw erly in y^e morning Hermō begā to dryue thees armed beas­tes in a great walking place, & al y^e peo­ple thorow out of y^e city, came to see this pitifull sight loking euer when it should be daye. But the Iewes all that whyle almost deade, wyth weapinge prayers and wofull sounges holding vp there handes to heauen, prayed allmyghtye God, that he would helpe them shortly agayne. And or euer it was daye, when the kynge receyued hys frendes, Her­mon stode and called them out, and de­clared vnto them that it was the kyn­ges minde, which thing when the kyng heard, marueling at this cruel sight, as a man that hadde forget all, axed what was the cause, why he did such thinges so dylygently. part D But thys was the migh­ty worcke of God that ruleth all, Deute. [...]xviij.c. Iob xij c Mic iij b Rom. i c whyche made hym forget all thynges thought vpon before. And when Her­mon [Page] sayde. Bothe all thy frendes, beas­tes, and men of armys, O kyng, are re­dye after thy pleasure, the king was for thees sayenges, very sore angrye, that he hadde loste the remembraunce of all thees thynges, Iob. v.b thorough the prouy­dence of God, loking shortly and with great threateninges, saide. As many as be here that hath chyldren, or that bee borne of free parentes, that haue giuen vnto this cruel beastes this much meat let them be serued as the innocente Ie­wes should haue byne, whiche haue ex­cellently declared theyr sure & perfecte faythfullnes both to me and myne aun­cytours all though noman for fauor, that they haue byne broughte vp wyth vs and done seruyce, was euer depcy­ued of hys lyffe for them. Zurich part P Thus Her­mon had sore checkes vnloked for, and was maruelously abbashed and affrai­ed, and euery one of hys frendes went there waye wyth heauy cheire, and sent away thoos that were cōme, euery man to do hys owne busynes. And when the Iewes knewe what the king had sayd, the praysed the myghtye Lorde, Dan. xij a. king of kynges, of whome they hadde gott [Page] thys healpe. i. Timot vi.c. Apo. xvij c. &. xix.c And when the kinge after his old coustome had prepared a feaste and exhorted them to be mery, callyng Hermon vnto hym wyth greate threa­tes, he sayde. Thou wretche how ofte shall I commande the to do any thyng, Let me se yf now at the last thou canste prepare the elephantes to kyll the Ie­wes. Then his kynsfolkes that sat with hym meruelyng at the inconstantnes of his mynde, sayd, thees wordes. O king how long wylt thou tēpt vs, as though we were mad, whyche now commaun­dest them to be slayne the thyrde tyme, and chaunged again in doing the thing, breakest that y^e y^u hast apponted. Verely the cytye for thys cause is in a greate romublyng, and many come to gether, threatenynge that they wyll go awaye. Wherfor the king full of madnes, euen in all poyntes lycke an other Phalaris, not regardinge the chaungynge of his minde toward the sauing of the Iewis, sware styfly, that he woulde kyll them with out deleye, and that they shoulde be all to troden with the fete and knees of the beastes. And that after he would go in to Iewry and there wyth swerde [Page] and fyre wast it all, and the holy place also of the Iewys, iij. Mac a. that he might not come into, and burne al them that there dyd offer sacrifice. Then hys frendes and kinsfolke, when they were gone ap­poynted for the armye the most conue­niēt places of the citie to be surely kept. Zurich part Q And the master of the elephauntes, had broughte hys beastes euen almoste to madnes wyth swete drynckes tempe­red wyth franckensence, and decked fearefully to loke to. And now aboute the mornynge the cytye beynge reple­nished with innumerable people, about the place where horses be coursed, one went vnto the kinge, mouynge hym to come to thys syght. Then he wyth an angry and cruell minde, came out with al his mighty elephantes with a fearce mynd desyrynge to see the lamentable destruction of the aforsayd selie soules. And when the Iewes sawe aboute the gate the dust that the elephantes made in there commynge oute and the hooste that folowed in harnes, and of the dust of the peoples fete, and heard the horri­ble noyse, thynckynge it to be the laste moment of there lyffe, and the ende of [Page] ☞ there mysery that they loked for, tour­ning them selues to mournynge, eche embraced & ayssed an other, and toke there kynsfolke about there neckes the father the sonnes, and the mothers the daughters, and some put the infantes to there brestes to suck there last. And remembrynge of the help that they had before from heauen, wyth one consent, they fell flatt to the grounde, takynge there children from there pappies, And wythe one voyce cryed alowde, making there prayers to almyghtye God, that he woulde come and helpe them that were nowe comme to deathes doore.

chapter 6 part A ☞ANd one Eleazarus a noble man, one of the Priestes of that countrey a very aged man, & vertuous all his lyfe with other sadde men about hym, callynge vpon the ho­ly God prayed thus. O myghtie kyng, and most hyest almyghtye God, which mercyfully gouernest all thynges that thou hast made locke vpon the seade of Abraham, and the chyldren of thy holy Iacob. The chosen people consecrated vnto the beyng straungers in an other [Page] lande and that shall be slayne vniustely Exo. xiiij f. Psalm. lxxxiij Cv. Cvi Esa. xi c. Sap. x.d O father. Thou destroyest Pharao hauing many chariottes, sometyme the kyng of the Egiptians, puffed vp with cruell stubbernes & bostinges of tongue thou drownest hym & his proude hooste in the sea, and with thy lyght of mercy dydest shyne vpō the Israellites Zurich part R Esaye. xxxvij.f. iiii. Reg. xix.g. Tob. i.d ii. Mach xv.d. Thou O Lord ouer truwest Senacherib kinge of the Assirians being proude for his in­numerable sorte of men, whiche had subdewed vnto his powere all the whole lande, and was lift vp against the holy citie, speakyng cruell and proude wor­des, shewyng openly vnto the gentiles the power. part B Dan. iij d Thou sauest those thy trie frendes in Babylon, whiche with good there gaue there liues to the fyre, becau­se they woulde not worship vayne thin­ges, and didest cast downe vnto the burning forne is, & sauest them vnhurt euen the very heares of their heddes, turning the flāme vpō all their enemies. Dani. vi d. Thou broughtest Daniel false into lyght out of the denne, whiche by false accusaciōs thorow enuy was cast vnder the earth to the Lions to be deuoured of wylde beastes. Ionas. ij.a. And didest bryng agayne Io­nas [Page] safe vnto his frendes, when he had bene sore troubled in the wales belly, that was brede in the sea, o father. Now also O mercifull beholder of all thyn­ges tary not, but shewe thy selfe vnto the people of Israell as shortely as may be, that it is vniustly and cruelly hande led of the vngracious and wicked gen­tils. And if our liuyng bewaxen naught by dwellyng in a straunge contrey, take vs out of our enemies handes, O lorde, and destroye vs by what death thou wilt least they that thincke vayne thyn­ges, reioyse vaynely of those mens de­struction, whom thou hast loued and sayde. No not there owne God hath de­liuered them, wherefore thou that arte strongest and myghtest O eternall, God, looke vpon vs nowe, and haue mercy vpon vs, which by the myght of wicked men, be taken out of our lyfe as though we were traitours. Make y^e gentiles to wonder at thy myghty power, & vse thy strength to the healthe of the kynred of Iacob. All these yong infan­tes besech the here of. part C And ther fathers also with teares, let it be sene to all gentils, O Lorde, y^e thou helpest vs, & that [Page] thou hast not turned thy face from vs, Deuter. xxviij. but that thou haste not forgotten vs, no not in our enemies lande, O lorde do euen so. Zurich part S When Eleazarus had made an ende of his prayers thus, the kyng & all his great company was come with his beastes to y^e horse coursyng place, whi­che when the Iewes sawe, they made a great shotte to heauen in somuche that all the walles sounded therof, euen that the people wept sore. Then y^e glorious, omnipotent and trewe God shewynge his holy face, opened his iiij. Reg vi. ij. Mac. iij.d. &. x e. xi.b. Ioseph agaynst Appyon ij. boke. heauenly gattes, from whence there came two Aun­gels terryble to loke vpon, whome dyd also saue the Iewes. They let there ene­mies army and fylled them with feare & trouble, and bounde them with such fet­ters that they myght not stirre. Then trembled the kinges body, and began to forgette his prefull boldenes, Dan. iij d. the bea­stes also tourned against the men that were in harnes and trode them vnder the fete and kylled them. Prouer xvi.a. So the kyng turned his anger into pitie, & to bewaile those thinges that he had donne before. For whē he hard the crye, after that saw them all troden to death wepyng, and [Page] angerly rebuking his frēdes. part D Ye abuse y^e king quod he, & passe al tirātes in cruel­tie, ye go about to take spirite & lyfe frō men, which haue done for you, deuising proude thynges that be not for the profit of my realme. Who hath sent hether & vnworthely put out of there houses the­se men, whiche kepte the holdes of oure realme faithfully. Who hath so cruelly punished those men, whiche euen from the beginning, hath bene aboue all na­cions mooste louing vnto vs. Zurich part T Lose the boundes that they vniustly be bounde with all, I saye lose them, and let them go safe for there good dedes that they haue done before, let go the chyldren of the omnipotent and lyuyng God which from the time of our auncetours to this daye hath kepte the state of our realme vntroubled. And those wordes spake he and they incontinent being losed when they had escaped death, praysed the ho­ly God their sauiour. part E Then afterwar­des the kyng commyng agayne into the citie, he called vnto hym his stewarde, & commaunded wine and other thynges, that partayne to a feaste to be geuen vn­to them by the space of seuen dayes, and [Page] decreed that in the same, y^e they thought they shoulde haue suffered death, euen there they shoulde make mery. Then that whiche before were incoraged and lyke to dye, yea goyng to the death, in stede of cruell and bitter death, kepinge an holsome feast, being full of gladnes, poynted out with there stoles, the place that the were appoynted to be slayne in and buried, [...]alm. [...]x.a. And leuyng there song of lamentacion, beganne a newe, praysing there sauiour and meruelous God, and puttyng awaye all mournyng and we­ping, daunsed to shewe the gladnes. Li­kewyse also the kyng kepyng a greate feaste gaue great prayses to God in heauen, for the health that he had geuen vn­to them vnloked for. part F Zurich part V And they that be­fore appointed them to be kylled and deuoured of byrdes and appointed them to the sworde, wer shamed and for there hot boldnes were kylled with dishone­stie. [...]eph a [...]nste [...]ion [...]oke. So the Iewes as we haue sayd ge­uyng them selues to daunsyng and fea­styng, were full of ioy and synging, and made a lawe of these thynges, to al that came after, of there being in this straū ­ge contrey and appoynted the foresayed [Page] dayes of there myrtes to be kept, not to bybbe and bowle in for glottony, but for the health that was geuen vnto them by God, and afterwardes they went vnto the kyng, and desyred that they myght go home to there owne houses. iij. Mac. l. But there discription was kept from the .xxv. daye of Pacho, vnto the .iiij. daie of Epiph. xl. dayes long, and to de­stroye them they laboured from the first daye of Epiph vnto the .vij. of the same, that is thre dayes, in the which the lord of all shewyng his mercy wonderfully, saued them all without harme, and they kept feastes, the kyng geuyng them all thynges there vnto euen to the .xiiij. daye, in the whiche they went, desyryng y^t they might go home. And whē y^e king had praysed them, he wrote this epistell that foloweth, declaryng the greate ve­hemency of his mynde.

chapter 7 part A Zurich part X THe kynge Ptolomie Philopater, to all hys rulers that be thourough Egipte, and all that beare eny offyce, sendyth grea­tynge and health for we and oure chil­dren be in health. After that the greate [Page] God had sent vs good speede euen we our selfe would wysh some of our fren­des thorow there waywardnes made often instant labour vnto vs, and per­suaded vs to call to gether the Iewes that were vnder our subiection & cru­elly to punyshe them as traytours, for they sayde we should neuer be in quiet, because of the hate that they bare a­gainst all men tyll we had so done. And after that they had sore vexed them and brought them hether bounde as slaues or rather as theues and murtherers, with out all enquirye oure pledynge of the cause, they woulde haue kylled them more cruell then the Scythyans. But we rebukyng them sharply for it, according to our gentylnes toward all men, and after we had much worcke to saue them a lyue by oure fauoure, and when we knewe for a suretye that the heauenlye God defendid the Iewes, and that in euery poynt he holpe them, as the father hys chyldren, part B and that al­so we dyd consider the good wil which they bere vnto vs, as they haue to oure auncitours, we haue iustly quyte them from all fautes what so euer was laide [Page] agaynst them and haue commaunded euerye man in euerye place that they shoulde be suffred to go to there owne, and that no man shoulde hurt them, or cast them in the teath wyth any thynge that they haue suffered, for ye shall vn­derstand, that yf we iiij Reg xix.d. Iere xxx c. ij a. x d Zac ij.b Mathe. xxv.d. Act. ix.a haue done eny hurt, agayeste them malycyouslye or by any meanes haue made them sadde, that we shall haue agaynste vs, not a man but the hye God rular of all pow­re to be reuenged of thees deedes in eue­ry point alwayes and neuer hable to­be auoydyd. Fare ye well. Zurich part Y Yet when they had receyued thys epystell, they made not hast straight waies to go the­re wayes, but they desyred this thynge also of the kynge, that whosoeuer of the Iewes nacion had violatet y^e holy God or willingly iij. Ma f. broken hys lawes, that they myghte be punyshed of them as they hadde deseruyd, sayeng, part C ☞ that they whyche had transgressed goddes lawe for there bellye sake, woulde neuer be faythfull to the kynges commaunde­ment. He thyncking them to say trewe, praysed them and gaue them powre to kyll thorowe all hys kyngdome those [Page] that had broke the lawe of God, and that they shuolde not seke for eny pow­re of the kynge. Then they as reason was, thanckinge the kynge, the priestes and all the people wyth them cryeng. Alleluya, went away wyth ioy, and as thei went killed euery one of the nacion that was naught for example to other and in dede that daye, they killed aboue thre hundreth men, and were verie ioy­yuos as they kylled them. But thoos that stacke to God to death, hauing the ful fruet of there health, they went out of the cytye crowned wyth verye swete flowers of all sortes wyth cryeng and gladnes, giuing praise to the holy God of there fathers y^e sauiour of Israel. part D Zurich part Z And when they were come to Ptolomeus. Rodophoros, so called after the nature of the place where a nauye taryed for them, they kepte a feaste there by there hole consentes. vij. dayes, the kyng ge­uyng vnto them gladly all thynges ne­cessary to there iouruey, tyll they came home. So departyng safe with worthy gratulacions, ther also they purposed to kepe those glad dayes for the tyme of, there being in a strannge lawe, and ma­kyng [Page] and dedicating a pillar of prayer in the place where they feasted, they went their waye safe both by lande and by sea fre and mery. And euery man ca­me home to his house by the kynges cō ­maundement, hauyng greater power a­gainst the enemies with glory and fea­re, then euer they had before, nor they were not let from there goodes by any man, for all men receiued there goodes as they were named in the byll of atten­dure, so that whosoeuer had any thyng of theers, restored it a­gayne, with great feare, the hye God finishyng the matters, to all there healthes. Praised be God the de­lyuerer of Israel worlde with­out ende. Amen.