Bible (Wycliffe)/1 Machabeis

¹ And it was don, aftir that Alisaundre of Filip, king of Macedoyne, which regnede first in Grece, and yede out of the lond of Sethym, smoot Darius, king of Perseis and of Medeis,

² he ordeynede many batels, and gat strengthis of alle; and he slow the kingis of erthe,

³ and passide forth til to endis of erthe, and took spuylis of multitude of folkis; and the erthe was stille in siyt of hym.

⁴ And he gaderide vertu, and oost ful strong, and the herte of hym was enhaunsid and lift vp.

⁵ And he gat the cuntreis of folkis, and tirauntis; and thei weren maad to hym in to tribut.

⁶ And after these thingis he felle in to bed, and knew that he schulde die.

⁷ And he clepide his noble children, that weren nurschid with hym fro yongthe, and departide to hem his kingdom, whanne he lyuede yit.

⁸ And Alisaundre regnede twelue yeer, and was deed.

⁹ And his children weldiden the rewme,

¹⁰ ech in his place, and alle puttiden to hem diademys aftir his deth, and the sones of hem after hem, many yeeris; and yuels weren multiplied in erthe.

¹¹ And ther wente out of hem a roote of synne, Antiok the noble, the sone of Antiok kyng, that was at Rome in ostage, and regnede in the hundrid and seuene and thrittithe yeer of the rewme of Grekis.

¹² In tho daies wickid sones `of Israel wenten out, and counseiliden many, and seide, Go we, and ordeyne we testament with hethene men, that ben aboute vs; for sithen we departiden fro hem, many yuels foundun vs.

¹³ And the word was seyn good bifore the iyen of hem.

¹⁴ And summe of the puple senten, and wenten to the kyng; and he yaf power to hem for to do riytwisnesse of hethene men.

¹⁵ And thei bildiden a scole in Jerusalem, bi lawis of naciouns;

¹⁶ and maden to hem prepucies, and wenten awei fro the hooli testament, and weren ioyned to naciouns, and weren seeld for to do yuel.

¹⁷ And the rewme hadde prosperite in the siyt of Antiok, and he bigan for to regne in the lond of Egipt, that he schulde regne on twei rewmes.

¹⁸ And he entride in to Egipt with a greuouse multitude, in charis, and olifauntis, and horse men, `ether kniytis, and plenteuouse multitude of schippis,

¹⁹ and he ordeynede batel ayens Tholome, kyng of Egipt; and Tolome dredde of his face, and flei; and many weren woundid, and fellen doun.

²⁰ And he took the stronge citees in the lond of Egipt, and took the preies of the lond of Egipt.

²¹ And Antiok turnede, after that he smoot Egipt, in the hundrid and thre and fourtithe yeer, and stiede to Israel.

²² And he stiede to Jerusalem with a greuouse multitude,

²³ and entride in to the halewyng with pride; and he took the goldun auter, and the candilstike of liyt, and alle vessels therof, and the boord of proposicioun, and vessels of fletynge sacrifices, and cruetis, and goldun morteris, and veil, and crownes, and goldun ournement that was in the face of the temple; and he brak alle.

²⁴ And he took siluer and gold, and alle desirable vessels, and he took the priuy tresours, whiche he foond; and whanne he hadde takun vp alle thingis, he wente in to his lond.

²⁵ And he made slauyter of men, and spak in greet pride.

²⁶ And greet weilyng was maad in Israel, and in ech place of hem;

²⁷ and princes sorewiden inwardli, and eldere men, and maidens, and yonge men weren maad sike, and fairnesse of wymmen was chaungid.

²⁸ Ech hosebonde took weilyng, and thei that saten in hosebondis bed, morenyden.

²⁹ And the lond was mouyd togidere on men dwellynge therynne, and al the hous of Jacob was clothid with confusioun.

³⁰ And aftir twei yeeris of daies, the kyng sente a prince of tributis in to the citees of Juda, and he cam to Jerusalem with greet cumpanye.

³¹ And he spak to hem pesible wordis in gile, and thei bileuyden to hym.

³² And sudeynli he felle in on the citee, and smoot it with a greet wounde, and loste myche puple of Israel.

³³ And he took preies of the citee, and brente it with fier, and distriede housis therof, and wallis therof in cumpas.

³⁴ And thei ledden wymmen caitif, and children, and weldiden beestis.

³⁵ And thei bildiden the citee of Dauid with greet wal and sad, and sadde touris; and it was maad to hem in to an hiy tour.

³⁶ And thei puttiden there a folc of synneris, wickid men, and thei weren strong in it; and thei puttiden armeris, and metis, and gaderiden preies of Jerusalem;

³⁷ and puttiden vp there, and weren maad in to a greet snare.

³⁸ And this thing was maad to aspiyngis in yuel, `ether tresouns, to halewyng, and in to an yuel deuel in Israel euere more.

³⁹ And thei schedden out innocent blood, bi cumpas of the halewyng, and defouliden the halewyng.

⁴⁰ And dwelleris of Jerusalem fledden for hem, and it was maad abitacioun of straungeris, and it was maad straunge to his seed, and sones therof forsoken it.

⁴¹ The halewyng therof was desolat as wildirnesse; feeste daies therof weren turned in to mourenyng, sabotis therof in to schenschip, onouris therof in to nouyt.

⁴² Bi the glorie therof the yuel fame therof was multiplied, and hyynesse therof was turned in to mournyng.

⁴³ And kyng Antiok wroot to al his rewme, that al the puple schulde be oon. And thei forsoken ech man his lawe;

⁴⁴ and alle folkis consentiden bi the word of kyng Antiok,

⁴⁵ and many of Israel consentiden to him, and sacrifieden to idols, and defouliden sabot.

⁴⁶ And king Antiok sente bokis bi the hondis of messangeris in to Jerusalem, and in to alle citees of Judee, that thei schulden sue lawis of folkis of erthe,

⁴⁷ and schulden forbede brent sacrifices, and sacrifices, and plesyngis for to be don in the temple of God,

⁴⁸ and that thei schulden forbede the sabot for to be halewid, and solempne daies,

⁴⁹ and hooli thingis for to be defoulid, and the hooli puple of Israel.

⁵⁰ And he comaundide auteris for to be bildid, and templis, and idols; and swynes fleisch for to be sacrifisid, and vncleene beestis;

⁵¹ and for to leeue her sones vncircumcidid, and the soulis of hem for to be defoulid in alle vnclennessis and abhomynaciouns, so that thei schulden foryete the lawe, and schulen chaunge alle the iustifiyngis of God.

⁵² And who euere dide not bi the word of kyng Antiok, schulden die.

⁵³ Bi alle these wordis he wroot to al his rewme, and aboue settide princes to the puple, whiche schulden constreyne these thingis for to be don.

⁵⁴ And thei comaundiden to citees of Juda for to make sacrifice.

⁵⁵ And many of the puple weren gaderid to hem, whiche forsoken the lawe of the Lord, and diden yuels on erthe.

⁵⁶ And thei dryueden out the puple of Israel fro priuy places, and in hid places of fleynge men.

⁵⁷ In the fiftenthe dai of the monethe Casleu, in the hundrid and fyue and fourtithe yeer, king Antiok bildide abhominable idol of discoumfort on the auter of God; and bi alle citees of Judee in cumpas thei bildiden auters.

⁵⁸ And bifore the yatis of housis and in stretis thei brenten encensis, and sacrifieden;

⁵⁹ and brenten bi fier the bookis of the lawe of God, and keruyden hem.

⁶⁰ And anentis whom euere the bookis of testament of the Lord weren foundun, and who euere kepte the lawe of the Lord, bi the maundement of the kyng thei slowen hym.

⁶¹ In her power thei diden these thingis to the puple of Israel, that was foundun in ech monethe in citees.

⁶² And in the fyue and twentithe dai of the monethe, thei sacrifieden on the auter, that was ayens the auter of God.

⁶³ And wymmen, that circumcididen her sones, weren stranglid, bi comaundement of kyng Antiok;

⁶⁴ and thei hangiden children bi the neckis, bi alle housis of hem, and strangliden hem that circumcididen hem.

⁶⁵ And many of the puple of Israel determyneden anentis hem, that thei schulden not ete vnclene thingis, and chesiden more for to die, than for to be defoulid with vnclene metis.

⁶⁶ And thei wolden not breke the hooli lawe of God, and thei weren slayn;

⁶⁷ and ful greet wraththe was maad on the puple.

¹ In tho daies Matatias, the sone of Joon, sone of Symeon, and he was prest of the sones of Joarym, roos fro Jerusalem, and sat in the hil Modyn.

² And he hadde fyue sones; Joon, that was named Gaddis; and Symount, that was named Thasi;

³ and Judas, that was clepid Machabeus;

⁴ and Eleasarus, that was named Abaron;

⁵ and Jonathas, that was clepid Apphus.

⁶ These siyen the yuels that weren don in the puple of Juda and in Jerusalem.

⁷ And Matatias seide, Wo to me! wher to am Y borun, for to se the distriyng `of my puple, and the defoulyng of the hooli citee, and for to sitte there, whanne it is youun in to the hondis of enemyes?

⁸ Hooli thingis ben maad in the hond of straungeris; the temple therof as a man vnnoble;

⁹ vessels of glorie therof ben led awei caitif. Elde men therof ben slayn in stretis, and yonge men therof fellen doun bi swerd of enemyes.

¹⁰ What folc enheritide not the kingdom therof, and weldide not preies therof?

¹¹ Al ournyng therof is borun awei; sche that was fre, is maad handmaidun.

¹² And lo! oure hooli thing, and oure fairnesse, and oure clerete, is desolat, and hethene men defouliden it.

¹³ What therfor is yit to vs for to lyue?

¹⁴ And Matatias and his sones to-renten her clothis, and hiliden hem with heiris, and weiliden greetli.

¹⁵ And thei that weren sent of kyng Antiok, camen thidur, for to constreyne hem that fledden togidere in to the cite of Modyn, for to offre and brenne encensis, and for to departe fro the lawe of God.

¹⁶ And many of the puple of Israel consentiden, and camen to hem; but Matatias and his sones stoden stidefastli.

¹⁷ And thei answeriden, that weren sent of Antiok, and seiden to Matatias, Thou art prince, and moost clere, and greet in this citee, and ourned with sones and britheren.

¹⁸ Therfor go thou the formere, and do the maundement of the kyng, as alle folkis han don, and men of Juda, and thei that leften in Jerusalem. And thou schalt be, and thi sones, among frendis of the king, and maad large in siluer and gold, and many yiftis.

¹⁹ And Matatias answeride, and seide with greet vois, Thouy alle folkis obeien to kyng Antiok, that thei go awei ech man fro seruice of the lawe of his fadris, and consenten to his maundementis,

²⁰ Y, and my sones, and my britheren schulen obeie to the lawe of oure fadris.

²¹ God be helpful to vs; it is not profitable to vs for to forsake the lawe and riytwisnesses of God.

²² We schulen not here the wordis of kyng Antiok, nether schulen make sacrifice to idols, and breke the maundementis of oure lawe, that we go bi anothir weie.

²³ And as he ceesside for to speke these wordis, sum Jew wente to, bifore the iyen of alle men, for to sacrifice to idols on the auter, in the citee Modyn, bi comaundement of the kyng.

²⁴ And Matatias siy, and sorewide, and his reynes trembliden togidere, and his woodnesse was kyndlid bi doom of the lawe; and he skippide in, and slow hym on the auter.

²⁵ But and he slow in that tyme the man whom king Antiok sente, which compellide for to offre, and he distriede the auter.

²⁶ And he louyde feruentli the lawe, as Fynees dide to Sambri, sone of Salomy.

²⁷ And Matatias criede with greet vois in the citee, and seide, Ech man that hath feruent loue of the lawe, ordeyne a testament, `that is, a couenaunt, and go out after me.

²⁸ And he flei, and hise sones, in to munteyns, and leften what euere thingis thei hadden in the citee.

²⁹ Thanne many sekynge dom and riytwisnesse, wenten doun in to desert, that thei schulden sitte there,

³⁰ thei, and the sones of hem, and wymmen of hem, and beestis of hem, for yuels weren hard on hem.

³¹ And it was teld to men of the kyng, and to the oost, that weren in Jerusalem, the citee of Dauid, that summen wenten awei, that distrieden maundement of the kyng, in to priuy places in desert; and many hadden go after hem.

³² And anoon thei wenten to hem, and ordeineden ayens hem batel, in the dai of sabatis;

³³ and seiden to hem, Ayenstonde ye also now yit? go ye out, and do ye after the word of kyng Antiok, and ye schulen lyue.

³⁴ And thei seiden, We schulen not go out, nether schulen do the word of the king, that we defoule the dai of sabatis.

³⁵ And thei stiriden batel ayens hem.

³⁶ And thei answeriden not to hem, nether threwen stoon to hem, nether stoppiden priuy places,

³⁷ and seiden, Die we alle in oure simplenesse, and heuene and erthe schulen be witnessis on vs, that vniustli ye lesen vs.

³⁸ And thei yauen to hem batel in sabatis, and thei weren deed, and wyues of hem, and sones of hem, and beestis of hem, til to a thousande persoones of men.

³⁹ And Matatias knew, and his frendis; and thei hadden mournyng on hem greetli.

⁴⁰ And a man seide to his neiybore, If we alle shulen do as oure britheren diden, and schulen not fiyte ayens hethene men, for oure lyues, and oure iustifiyngis, sunnere thei schulen distrie vs fro erthe.

⁴¹ And thei thouyten in that dai, and seiden, Ech man who euere cometh to vs in batel, in dai of sabotis, fiyte we ayens hym, and die we not alle, as oure britheren ben deed in priuy places.

⁴² Thanne the synagoge of Jewis, strong in myytis of Israel, was gaderid to hem. Euery wilful man in the lawe,

⁴³ and alle that fledden fro yuels, weren addid to hem, and thei weren maad to hem to stidfastnesse.

⁴⁴ And thei gaderiden an oost, and smytiden synneris in her wraththe, and wickid men in her indignacioun; and the tother fledden to naciouns, for to ascape.

⁴⁵ And Matatias enuyrownede, and hise frendis, and distrieden auteris,

⁴⁶ and circumcididen children vncircumcided, hou many euere thei founden in the coostis of Israel, `in strengthe.

⁴⁷ And thei pursueden the sones of pride, and the werk hadde prosperite in her hondis.

⁴⁸ And thei gaten the lawe fro hondis of hethene men, and fro hondis of kyngis, and yauen not strengthe to the synnere.

⁴⁹ And daies of Matatias of diynge neiyiden, and he seide to hise sones, Now pride is coumfortid, and chastisyng, and tyme of distruccioun, and the wraththe of indignacioun.

⁵⁰ Now therfor, sones, be ye sueris, `ether louyeris, of the lawe, and yyue ye youre lyues for the testament of fadris.

⁵¹ And bithenke ye on werkis of fadris, whiche thei diden in her generaciouns, and ye schulen resseyue greet glorie, and euerlastynge name.

⁵² Whether in temptacioun Abraham was not founden trewe, and it was arettid to hym to riytwisnes?

⁵³ Joseph in time of his angwisch kepte comaundement, and was maad lord of Egipt.

⁵⁴ Fynees, oure fadir, in feruentli louynge the feruent loue of God, took testament of euerlastynge preesthod.

⁵⁵ Jhesus, `ether Josue, while he fillide the word, was maad duyk in Israel.

⁵⁶ Caleph, while he witnesside in the chirche, took eritage.

⁵⁷ Dauid in his merci gat the sete of kyngdom, in to worldis.

⁵⁸ Elie, while he feruentli louyde the feruent loue of the lawe, was resseyued in to heuene.

⁵⁹ Ananyas, Azarias, Misael, bileuyden, and weren delyuered fro flawme.

⁶⁰ Danyel in his symplenesse was delyuered fro the mouth of liouns.

⁶¹ And thus bithenke ye bi generacioun and generacioun, for alle that hopen in to hym ben not maad vnstidefast.

⁶² And drede ye not of the wordis of a man synnere, for the glorie of hym is tord and worm;

⁶³ to dai he is enhaunsid, and to morewe he schal not be foundun, for he is turned in to his erthe, and his thouyt schal perische.

⁶⁴ Therfor, ye sones, be coumfortid, and do ye manli in the lawe; for whanne ye schulen do tho thingis that ben bodun to you in the lawe of youre Lord God, in it ye schulen be gloriouse.

⁶⁵ And lo! Symount, youre brother; Y woot, that he is a man of councel, here ye hym eueremore, and he schal be fadir to you.

⁶⁶ And Judas Machabeus, stronge in miytis fro his yongthe, be to you a prince in knyythod, and he schal do batel of the puple.

⁶⁷ And ye schulen brynge to you alle doeris of the lawe, and venge ye the veniaunce of youre puple.

⁶⁸ Yelde ye yeldyng to hethene men, and take ye tent to the heeste of the lawe.

⁶⁹ And he blesside hem, and was put to hise fadris.

⁷⁰ And he was deed in the hundrid and `sixe and fourti yeer, and was biried of hise sones in to sepulcre of hise fadris in Modyn; and al Israel weiliden hym with greet weilyng.

¹ And Judas, that was clepid Machabeus, the sone of Matatias, roos for hym.

² And alle hise britheren helpiden hym, and alle that ioyneden hem to his fadir, and thei fouyten the batel `of Israel with gladnesse.

³ And he alargide glorie to his puple, and clothide hym with an haburiowne as a giaunt, and girde hym with hise armeris of batel in batels, and defendide castels with his swerd.

⁴ He was maad lijk a lioun in hise werkis, and as a whelp of lioun rorynge in his huntyng.

⁵ And he pursuede wickid men, and souyte hem; and he brente hem in flawmes, that disturbliden his puple.

⁶ And hise enemyes weren put abac for drede of hym, and alle worcheris of wickidnesse weren troblid to gidere; and heelthe was dressid in his hond.

⁷ And he wraththide many kyngis, and gladide Jacob in hise werkis, and in to world his mynde is in blessyng.

⁸ And he wente thorouy the citees of Juda, and loste vnpitouse men of hem, and turnede awei wraththe fro Israel.

⁹ And he was named til to the vtmest of erthe, and he gaderide men perischynge.

¹⁰ And Appollyne gaderide folkis, and fro Samarie myche vertu, and greet, for to fiyte ayens Israel.

¹¹ And Judas knew, and wente out ayens hym, and smoot, and slow hym. And many woundid fellen doun, and the othere fledden; and he took preies of hem.

¹² And Judas took awei the swerd of Appollyne, and was fiytynge therwith in alle daies.

¹³ And Seron, prince of the oost of Sirie, herde, that Judas gaderide a gaderyng, and the chirche of feithful men with hym.

¹⁴ And he seide, Y schal make to me a name, and Y schal be glorified in the rewme, and Y schal ouercome Judas, and hem that ben with hym, whiche dispisiden the kyngis word.

¹⁵ And he made redi hym; and the castels of vnpitouse men, stronge helperis, stieden vp with hym, for to do veniaunce on the sones of Israel.

¹⁶ And thei neiyiden `til to Betheron; and Judas wente out ayens hem, with fewe men.

¹⁷ Forsothe as thei siyen the oost comynge to hem in metinge, thei seiden to Judas, Hou moun we fewe fiyten ayens so greet multitude, so strong; and we ben maad weri bi fastyng this dai?

¹⁸ And Judas seide, It is liyt, `ether esy, that many be closid togidere in hond of fewe; and difference is not in siyt of God `of heuene, for to delyuere in manye ether in fewe;

¹⁹ for not in multitude of oost is the victorie of batel, but of heuene is strengthe.

²⁰ Thei comen to vs in rebel multitude, and pride, for to distrie vs, and oure wyues, and oure sones, and for to robbe vs.

²¹ Forsothe we schulen fiyte for oure lyues, and oure lawis;

²² and the Lord hym silf schal al to-breke hem bifore oure face; forsothe drede ye not hem.

²³ Sotheli as he ceesside for to speke, he hurlide in `in to hem sudenli; and Seron was al to-brokun, and his oost, in the siyt of hym.

²⁴ And he pursuede hym in the goynge doun of Betheron, til in to the feeld; and eiyte hundrid men of hem fellen doun, the othere forsothe fledden in to the lond of Filistiym.

²⁵ And the drede of Judas, and of his britheren, and the inward ferdnesse, felle on alle hethene men in cumpas of hem;

²⁶ and the name of hym cam to the kyng, and alle folkis telden of the bateils of Judas.

²⁷ Sotheli as king Antiok herde these wordis, he was wrooth in soule; and he sente, and gaderide the oost of al his rewme, ful stronge castels.

²⁸ And he openyde his treserie, and yaf sowdis to the oost, in to a yeer, and comaundide hem, that thei schulden be redi to alle thingis.

²⁹ And he sai, that money failide of hise tresouris, and tributis of the cuntrei weren litil, for dissencioun and veniaunce that he dide in the lond, for to do awei the lawful thingis that weren of the firste daies.

³⁰ And he dredde, that he schulde not haue as onys and twies in to costis and yiftis, whiche he hadde youun bifore with large hond; and he was riche ouer kingis that weren bifore hym.

³¹ And he was astonyed in soule greetli, and thouyte for to go in to Persis, and for to take tributis of cuntreis, and for to gadre myche siluer.

³² And he lefte Lisias, a noble man of the kyngis kyn, on the kingis nedis, fro the flood Eufrates til to the flood of Egipt;

³³ and that he schulde nursche Antiok, his sone, til he cam ayen.

³⁴ And he bitook to hym the half of the oost, and olifauntis, and comaundide to hym of alle these thingis that he wolde, and of men enhabitynge Judee and Jerusalem;

³⁵ and that he schulde sende to hem an oost, for to al to-breke, and to distrie vttirly the vertu of Israel, and relifs of Jerusalem, and for to do awey the mynde of hem fro place;

³⁶ and for to ordeyne dwelleris sones aliens in alle the coostis of hem, and bi lot for to departe the lond of hem.

³⁷ And the kyng took a part of the residue oost, and wente out of Antiochie, citee of his rewme, in the hundrid and seuene and fourti yeer; and passide ouer the flood Eufrates, and wente thorou the hiyere cuntreis.

³⁸ And Lisias chees Tholome, the sone of Dorym, and Nycanore, and Gorgie, miyti men of the kyngis frendis.

³⁹ And he sente with hem fourti thousynde of men, and seuene thousynde of hors men, `ether knyytis, that thei schulden come in to the lond of Juda, and distrie it, bi the word of the kyng.

⁴⁰ And thei wenten forth, for to go with al her pouer; and thei camen, and londiden at Ammaum, in the feeldi lond.

⁴¹ And marchauntis of cuntreis herden the name of hem, and token siluer and gold ful miche, and children, and camen in to castels, for to take the sones of Israel in to seruauntis; and the oostes of Sirie and the londis of aliens weren addid to hem.

⁴² And Judas siy, and his britheren, that yuelis weren multiplied, and the oost appliede, `ether londide, at the coostis of hem; and thei knewen the wordis of the kyng, whiche he comaundide the puple for to do, in to perischyng and endyng.

⁴³ And thei seiden, ech man to his neiybore, Reise we the castyng doun of oure puple, and fiyte we for oure puple, and oure hooli thingis.

⁴⁴ And comyng togidere of oost was gaderid, for to be redi in to batel, and for to preie, and axe merci, and merciful doyngis.

⁴⁵ And Jerusalem was not enhabitid, but was as desert; ther was not that entride and wente out, of children therof; and the hooli thing was defoulid, and sones of aliens weren in the hiy tour, ther was the dwellyng of hethene men; and the likyng was don awei fro Jacob, and pipe and harpe failide there.

⁴⁶ And thei weren gaderid, and camen in to Masphat ayens Jerusalem; for place of preier was in Masphat, sunnere than in Jerusalem.

⁴⁷ And thei fastiden in that dai, and clothiden hem with hairis, and puttiden aisch in her heed, and renten her clothis.

⁴⁸ And thei spredden abrood bookis of lawe, of the whiche hethene men souyten licnesse of her symylacris;

⁴⁹ and thei brouyten ournementis of prestis, and `firste fruytis, and tithis; and thei reisiden Nazareis that hadden fillid daies.

⁵⁰ And thei crieden with greet vois to heuene, and seiden, What schulen we do to these, and whidur schulen we lede hem?

⁵¹ And thin hooli thingis ben to-trodun, and defoulid, and thi prestis ben maad in to mourenyng,

⁵² and in to dispisyng. And lo! naciouns camen togidere ayens vs, for to distrie vs; thou wost what thingis thei thenken ayens vs.

⁵³ Hou schulen we mow withstonde bifore the face of hem, no but thou, God, helpe vs?

⁵⁴ And thei crieden in trumpis, with greet vois.

⁵⁵ And aftir these thingis Judas ordeynede duykis of the puple, tribunes, and centuriouns, and pentacontrarkis, and decuriouns.

⁵⁶ And he seide to these that bildiden housis, and wediden wyues, and plauntiden vyne yerdis, and to dredeful men, that thei schulden turne ayen, eche man in to his hous, bi the lawe.

⁵⁷ And thei mouyden castels, and thei settiden togidere at the south of Ammaum.

⁵⁸ And Judas seide, Be ye gird, and be ye miyti sones, and be ye redi `in the morewnyng, and that ye fiyte ayens these naciouns, that camen togidere for to distrie vs, and oure hooli thingis.

⁵⁹ For betere is, that we die in batel, than for to se yuels of oure folc and holi thingis.

⁶⁰ Sotheli as wille schal be in heuene, so be it don.

¹ And Gorgias took fyue thousynde of men, and a thousynde chosun horse men; and thei mouyden tentis bi niyt,

² for to applie to the tentis of Jewis, and for to smyte hem sudenli; and sones that weren of the hiy tour, weren lederis to hem.

³ And Judas herde, and he roos, and miyti men, for to smyte the pouer of oostis of the kyng, that was in Ammaum;

⁴ for yit the oost was scaterid fro tentis.

⁵ And Gorgias cam in to the tentis of Judas bi niyt, and foond no man; and thei souyten hem in hillis, for he seide, These fleen fro vs.

⁶ And whanne dai was maad, Judas apperide in the feeld with thre thousyndis of men oneli, whiche hadden not hilyngis and swerdis.

⁷ And thei siyen the tentis of hethene men stronge, and men haburiowned, and the multitude of horse men in cumpas of hem, and these weren tauyt to batel.

⁸ And Judas seide to hise men, that weren with hym, Drede ye not the multitude of hem, and drede ye not inwardli the fersnesse of hem.

⁹ Bithenke ye hou oure fadris weren maad saaf in the Reed See, whanne Farao pursuede hem with mychel oost.

¹⁰ And now crie we to heuene, and the Lord schal haue mercy on vs, and schal be myndeful of the testament of oure fadris, and schal al to-breke this oost bifore oure face to dai.

¹¹ And alle folkis schulen wite, that it is God, that schal ayenbie, and delyuere Israel.

¹² And aliens reisiden her iyen, and sien hem comynge of the contrarie part,

¹³ and wenten out of tentis in to batel. And thei that weren with Judas, songen in trumpe.

¹⁴ And thei wenten togidere, and hethene men weren al to-brokun, and fledden in to feeld;

¹⁵ forsothe the laste fellen doun bi swerd. And thei pursueden hem til to Gaseron, and til `in to feeldis of Idumee, and Ayotus, and Jannye; and there fellen doun of hem til to thre thousyndis of men.

¹⁶ And Judas turnede ayen, and his oost suynge hym.

¹⁷ And he seide to the puple, Coueite ye not preies, for batel is ayens vs,

¹⁸ and Gorgias and his oost ben in the hil niy vs; but stonde ye now ayens oure enemyes, and ouercome hem, and after these thingis ye schulen take preyes sikirli.

¹⁹ And yit while Judas spak these thingis, lo! sum part apperide, biholdynge forth fro the hil.

²⁰ And Gorgias siy, that hise helperis weren togidere turned in to fliyt, and tentis weren brent; for smoke that was seyn, declaride that that was don.

²¹ And whanne thei bihelden these thingis, thei dredden greetli, biholdynge togidere bothe Judas and the oost, redi to batel in the feeld.

²² And thei fledden alle in the feeld of aliens,

²³ and Judas turnede ayen to preies of the tentis; and thei token myche gold, and siluer, and iacynct, and purpur of the see, and grete richessis.

²⁴ And thei conuertiden, and songen an ympne, `ether heriyng, and blessiden God in to heuene; for he is good, for the merci of hym is in to the world.

²⁵ And greet helthe was maad in Israel in that dai.

²⁶ Forsothe who euere of aliens ascapiden, camen, and telden to Lisias alle thingis that bifellen.

²⁷ And whanne he herde these thingis, he was astonyed in soule, and failide; for not what maner thingis he wolde, siche bifellen in Israel, and what maner thingis the kyng comaundide.

²⁸ And in the yeer suynge, Lisias `gaderide of chosun men sixti thousyndis, and of horse men fyue thousynde, for to ouercome hem.

²⁹ And thei camen in to Judee, and settiden tentis in Betheron; and Judas ran to hem with ten thousynde of men.

³⁰ And thei sien strong oost, and he preiede, and seide, Blessid art thou, sauyour of Israel, that hast al to-brokun the feersnesse of the myyti Golias in the hond of thi seruaunt Dauid, and bitokist the castels of aliens in to the hondis of Jonathas, sone of Saul, and of his squyer.

³¹ Close thou togidere also this oost in the hond of thi puple Israel, and be thei confoundid in her oost, and horse men.

³² Yyue thou to hem inward drede, and make the hardynesse of her vertu to faile, and be thei mouyd togidere in her brekyng togidere.

³³ Caste doun hem bi the swerd of men louynge thee, and alle that knowen thi name, togidere preyse thee in ympnys.

³⁴ And thei ioyneden togidere batel, and fyue thousyndis of men fellen doun of the oost of Lisias.

³⁵ Lisias forsothe siy the fliyt of hise men, and the hardynesse of Jewis; and that thei weren redi ether for to lyue, ether for to die strongli. And he wente to Antioche, and chees knyytis, that thei multiplied schulden come eftsoone in to Judee.

³⁶ Forsothe Judas seide to hise britheren, Lo! oure enemyes ben al to-brokun; stie we now, for to clense hooli thingis, and `make newe.

³⁷ And al the oost was gaderid, and thei stieden in to the hil of Sion.

³⁸ And thei siyen halewyng desert, and the auter vnhalewid, and the yatis brent, and in the porche tendur trees growun, as in wielde wode or munteyns, and litle cellis distried.

³⁹ And thei renten her clothis, and weiliden with greet weilyng; and puttiden aische on her heed,

⁴⁰ and fellen on the face of the erthe, and crieden in trumpis of signes, and crieden in to heuene.

⁴¹ Thanne Judas ordeynede men, for to fiyte ayens hem that weren in the hiy tour, as long as thei clensiden hooli thingis.

⁴² And he chees preestis with out wem, hauynge wille in the lawe of God;

⁴³ and thei clensiden hooli thingis, and token awei stoonys of defoulyng in to an vnclene place.

⁴⁴ And he thouyte on the auter of brent sacrifices, that was vnhalewid, what he schulde do therof.

⁴⁵ And a good counsel felle in to him, for to distrie it, lest it were to hem in to schenschip, for hethene men defouliden it.

⁴⁶ And thei distrieden it, and kepten stonys in the hil of the hous, in couenable place, til that a profete cam, and answeride of hem.

⁴⁷ And thei token hoole stoonys, by the lawe, and bildiden a newe auter, lijk that that was bifore.

⁴⁸ And thei bildiden hooli thingis, and the thingis that weren with ynne the hous with ynneforth; and thei halewiden the hous, and porchis.

⁴⁹ And thei maden newe hooli vessels, and brouyten in a candilstike, and auter of encensis, and a boord in to the temple.

⁵⁰ And puttide encense on the auter, and tenden lanternes, that weren on the candilstike, and yauen liyt in the temple.

⁵¹ And thei puttiden looues on the boord, and hangiden veiles, and endiden alle werkis that thei maden.

⁵² And bifore morewtid thei risiden, in the fyue and twentithe dai of the nynthe monethe, this is the monethe Casleu, of the hundrid and eiyte and fourtithe yeer.

⁵³ And thei offriden sacrifice bi the lawe, on the newe auter of brent sacrifices, which thei maden bi tyme.

⁵⁴ And bi the dai in which hethene men defouliden it, in that it was `maad newe, in songis, and harpis, and cynaris, `that ben instrumentis of musik, ether giternes, and cymbalis.

⁵⁵ And al the puple felle on her face, and worschipiden, and blessiden in to heuene him that made prosperite to hem.

⁵⁶ And thei maden halewyng of the auter in eiyte daies, and offriden brent sacrifices with gladnesse, and helful thing of heriyng.

⁵⁷ And thei ourneden the face of the temple with goldun corouns, and smale scheeldis; and halewiden yatis, and litle housis, and puttiden to hem yatis.

⁵⁸ And ful greet gladnesse was maad in the puple, and the schenschipe of hethene men was turned awei.

⁵⁹ And Judas ordeynede, and hise britheren, and al the chirche of Israel, that the dai of halewyng of the auter be don in his tymes, fro yeer in to yeer, bi eiyte daies, fro the fyue and twentithe dai of the monethe Casleu, with gladnesse and ioye.

⁶⁰ And thei bildiden in that tyme the hil of Sion, and bi cumpas hiy wallis, and sadde touris, lest ony tyme hethene men wolden come, and defoule it, as thei diden before.

⁶¹ And he sette there an oost, for to kepe it; and he wardide it, `for to kepe Bethsura, that the puple schulde haue strengthing ayens the face of Ydume.

¹ And it was don, as hethene men herden in cumpas, that the auter was bildid, and the seyntuarie as bifore, thei weren wroth greetli.

² And thei thouyten for to do awei, `ether distrie, the kyn of Jacob, that was among hem; and thei bigunnen for to sle of the puple, and pursue.

³ And Judas ouercam the sones of Esau in Ydume, and hem that weren in Arabathane, for thei saten aboute men of Israel; and he smoot hem with a greet wounde.

⁴ And he thouyte on the malice of sones of Bean, that weren in to gnare, and in to sclaundre to the puple of Israel, and aspieden it, `ether settiden `buyschementis to it, in the weie.

⁵ And thes weren closid togidere fro hym in the touris; and he appliede to hem, and curside hem, and brente with fier the touris of hem, with alle men that weren in hem.

⁶ And he passide to the sones of Amon, and foond strong hond, and plenteuouse puple, and Tymothe, duyk of hem.

⁷ And he smoot many batels with hem, and thei weren brokun in siyt of hym; and he smoot hem.

⁸ And he took the citee Jaser, and vilages therof; and he turnede ayen in to Judee.

⁹ And hethene men that weren in Galaad, weren gaderid ayens Israelitis, that weren in coostis of hem, for to do awei hem; and thei fledden in to the strengthing of Datheman.

¹⁰ And thei senten lettris to Judas, and hise britheren, and seiden, Hethene men ben gaderid ayens vs bi cumpas, that thei do awei vs;

¹¹ and thei maken redi for to come, and ocupie the strengthing, in to which we fledden; and Tymothe is duyk of the oost of hem.

¹² Now therfor come thou, and delyuere vs fro her hondis, for a multitude of vs felle doun;

¹³ and alle oure britheren that weren in places of Tubyn, euerywhere ben slayn; and thei ledden awei caitif the wyues of hem, and children, and token spuylis, and killiden there almeste a thousynde men.

¹⁴ And yit epistlis weren rad, and lo! othere messangeris camen fro Galile, with cootis to-rent,

¹⁵ and telden bi these wordis, and seiden, that men camen togidere ayens hem fro Tolomaida, and Tire, and Sidon, and al Galile is fillid with aliens, for to distrie vs.

¹⁶ Sotheli as Judas herde, and the puple, these wordis, a greet chirche cam togidere, for to thenke what thei schulden do to her britheren, that weren in tribulacioun, and weren ouer comun of hem.

¹⁷ And Judas seide to Symount, his brother, Chese to thee men, and go, and delyuere thi britheren in Galile; Y forsothe and my brother Jonathas schulen go in to Galatithym.

¹⁸ And he lefte Josafus, sone of Sacarie, and Azarie, duykis of the puple, with the residue oost in Judee to kepyng;

¹⁹ and comaundide to hem, and seide, Be ye souereyns to this puple, and nyle ye smyte batel ayens hethene men, til we turnen ayen.

²⁰ And men weren youun to Simount thre thousyndis, for to go in to Galile; to Judas sotheli eiyte thousynde, in to Galatithym.

²¹ And Symount wente in to Galile, and ioynede many batels with hethene men. And hethene men weren al to-brokun fro his face, and

²² he pursuede hem til the yate of Tolomaida. And there fellen doun of hethene men almest thre thousynde of men;

²³ and he took the spuylis of hem. And he took hem that weren in Galile, and in Arbathis, with wyues, and children, and alle thingis that weren to hem; and brouyte in to Judee with greet gladnesse.

²⁴ And Judas Machabeis, and Jonathas, and hise britheren passiden Jordan, and wenten forth the weie of thre daies in to desert.

²⁵ And Nabutheis camen ayens hem, and resseyueden hem pesibli, and telden to hem alle thingis that bifellen to her britheren in Galadithym;

²⁶ and that manye of hem weren takun in Barasa, and Bosor, and in Alymys, and in Casphor, and Mathet, and Carnaym; alle these were strong citees and grete.

²⁷ But and in othere citees of Galatithis thei ben holdun cauyt. And on the morewe thei ordeyneden for to moue oost to tho citees, and for to take, and do awei hem in o dai.

²⁸ And Judas turnede, and his oost, the weie in to desert of Bosor sudenli; and ocupiede the citee, and slow ech male bi the scharpnesse of swerd, and took alle the spuylis of hem, and brente it with fier.

²⁹ And thei risiden thennus in nyyt, and wenten `til to the strengthing.

³⁰ And it was maad in sprynging of dai, whanne thei reisiden her iyen, and lo! myche puple, of whom was no noumbre, berynge laddris and engynes, for to take the strengthing, and ouer come hem.

³¹ And Judas siy, that batel bigan, and crie of batel stiede in to heuene, as trumpe, and greet cry of citee.

³² And he seide to his oost, Fiyte ye to dai for youre britheren.

³³ And he cam, and thre ordris after hem, and thei crieden with trumpis, and crieden in preier.

³⁴ And oostis of Thymothe knewen, that it was Machabeus, and thei fledden fro his face. And thei han smytun hem with greet wounde; and there fellen doun of hem in that dai almest eiyte thousynde of men.

³⁵ And Judas turnede awei in to Maspha; and ouercam and took it, and slow ech male therof, and took spuylis of it, and brente it with fier.

³⁶ Fro thennus he wente, and took Casbon, and Mageth, and Bosor, and othere citees of Galathite.

³⁷ Forsothe after these wordis Thymothe gaderide an other oost, and puttide tentis ayens Raphon, ouer the streem.

³⁸ And Judas sente for to biholde the oost, and thei telden ayen to hym, and seide, That alle hethene men that ben in oure cumpas, ful myche oost, camen togidere to hym.

³⁹ And thei hiriden Arabiens in to help to him, and thei han set tentis ouer the streem, and ben redi for to come to thee in to batel. And Judas wente ayens hem.

⁴⁰ And Tymothe seide to princes of his oost, Whanne Judas neiyeth, and his oost, to the streem of water, if he passith formere to vs, we schulen not mowe abide hym, for he miyti schal mowe ayens vs.

⁴¹ Sotheli if he dredith for to passe, and settith tentis biyende the flood, passe we ouer to hem, and we schulen mowe ayens hym.

⁴² Forsothe as Judas neiyede to the streem of water, he ordeynede scribis, `ether writeris of the puple, bisidis the streem, and comaundide to hem, and seide, Leeue ye noon of men, but come alle in to batel.

⁴³ And he the formere passide ouer to hem, and al the puple after hym. And alle these hethene men weren brokun fro the face of hem, and thei castiden awei her armeris; and thei fledden to the temple, that was at Carnaym.

⁴⁴ And Judas ocupiede `the ilke citee, and brente the temple with fier, with alle that weren in it; and Carnaym was oppressid, and miyte not abide ayens the face of Judas.

⁴⁵ And Judas gaderide alle Israelitis that weren in Galadithes, fro the leeste to the moste, and wyues of hem, and children, and ful greet oost, that thei schulden come in to the lond of Judee.

⁴⁶ And thei camen til to Efron, and this greet citee put in the entre was ful strong; and ther was not for to bowe awei fro it, in riyt half or left, but the weie was thorou the myddil.

⁴⁷ And thei that weren in the citee closiden in hem, and stoppiden the yatis with stoonys. And Judas sente to hem with pesible wordis, and seide,

⁴⁸ Passe we bi youre lond, for to go in to oure lond, and no man schal anoie you, oneli on feet we schulen go.

⁴⁹ And thei wolden not opene to hem. And Judas comaundide for to preche in tentis, `ether oost, that ech man schulde applie, `that is, asaile the citee, in what place he was.

⁵⁰ And men of vertu applieden hem, and he fauyt ayens that citee al dai and al niyt, and the citee was bitakun in his hond.

⁵¹ And thei slowen ech `knaue child bi the scharpnesse of swerd, and drow vp bi the rootis it, and took the spuylis therof, and passide bi al the citee on the slayn men.

⁵² And thei passiden ouer Jordan, in the greet feeld ayens the face of Bethsan.

⁵³ And Judas was gaderynge the laste men, and monestide the puple bi al the weie, til thei camen in to the lond of Juda.

⁵⁴ And thei stieden in to the hil of Sion with gladnesse and ioie, and offriden brent sacrifices, that no man of hem `was deed, til thei turneden ayen in pees.

⁵⁵ And in the daies in whiche Judas was, and Jonathas, in the lond of Galaad, and Symount, his brother, in Galilee, ayens the face of Tholomaida,

⁵⁶ Josofus, sone of Zacarie, herde, and Azarias, prince of vertu, the thingis doon wel, and batels that weren maad.

⁵⁷ And he seide, Make we also a name to vs, and go we for to fiyte ayens hethene men, that ben in oure cumpas.

⁵⁸ And he comaundide to these that weren in his oost, and thei wenten forth to Jamnyan.

⁵⁹ And Gorgias wente out of the citee, and hise men, ayens hem, in to fiyt.

⁶⁰ And Josofus and Azarias weren dryuun `til to the endis of Judee; and ther fellen doun in that dai of the puple of Israel, men to twei thousyndis. And a greet wounde was maad in the puple;

⁶¹ for thei herden not Judas and hise britheren, and gessiden hem to do strongli.

⁶² Forsothe thei weren not of the seed of tho men, bi whiche helthe was maad in Israel.

⁶³ And men of Juda weren magnefied greetli in the siyt of al Israel, and of alle hethene men, where the name of hem was herd.

⁶⁴ And thei camen togidere, criynge to hem `prosperite, ether preisyngis.

⁶⁵ And Judas wente out, and his britheren, and ouercamen the sones of Esau, in the lond that is at the south; and he smoot Chebron, and vilagis therof, and distriede `the wardyngis therof, and wallis therof, and brente in fier touris therof in cumpas.

⁶⁶ And he mouede tentis, for to go in to the lond of aliens; and wente thorou Samarie.

⁶⁷ In that dai prestis fellen doun in batel, while thei wolden do strongli, while with out counsel thei wenten out in to batel.

⁶⁸ And Judas bowide awei in to Asotus, in the lond of aliens, and distriede auteris of hem, and brenten in fier the spuylis of her goddis, and took preies of citees; and turnede ayen in to the lond of Juda.

¹ And kyng Antiok walkide thorouy the hiyere cuntreis, and herde that a citee, Elymaides, was in Persis, the nobleste and plenteuouse in siluer and gold;

² and a temple in it was ful riche, and there weren goldun veilis, and haburiowns, and scheldis, whiche Alisaundre of Filip, kyng of Macedo, lefte, that regnede the firste in Greece.

³ And he cam, and souyte for to take the citee, and robbe it; and miyte not, for the word was knowun to hem that weren in the citee.

⁴ And thei risiden vp in to batel, and he flei fro thennus, and wente awei with greet heuynesse, and turnede ayen to Babyloyne.

⁵ And ther cam, that telde to hym in Persis, that the oostis that weren in the lond `of Juda weren dryuun,

⁶ and that Lisias wente with strong vertu in the beste men, and was dryuun fro the face of Jewis, and thei wexiden stronge in armeris, and strengthis, and many preies, whiche thei token of tentis, `ether oostis, that thei slowen;

⁷ and that thei distrieden the abhomynacioun, which he bildide on the auter that was in Jerusalem, and thei cumpassiden with hiye wallis the halewyng, as bifore, but and Betsura, his citee.

⁸ And it was don, as the kyng herde these wordis, he dredde, and was mouyd greetli, and felle doun in to a bed, and felle in to a greet sikenesse for heuynesse, for it was not don as he thouyte.

⁹ And he was there many daies, for greet heuynesse was renulid in him, and he demide hym silf for to die.

¹⁰ And he clepide alle hise frendis, and seide to hem, Sleep passide awei fro myn iyen, and Y failide `in herte, and felle doun for bisynesse;

¹¹ and seide in myn herte, In to hou greet tribulacioun bicam Y, and in to what wawis of heuynesse in which Y am now, that was myrie, and `bolnyde, ether delicat in my power?

¹² Now forsothe Y bithenke on the yuels that Y dide to Jerusalem, fro whennus and Y took alle goldun spuylis, and siluerne, that weren ther ynne; and Y sente with out cause, that men dwellynge in Judee be don awei.

¹³ Therfor Y knew that these yuels founden me therfor, and lo! Y perische bi greet heuynesse in alien lond.

¹⁴ And he clepid Filip, oon of his frendis, and made him souereyn on al his rewme;

¹⁵ and yaf to hym diademe, and his stole, and ryng, for to lede Antiok, his sone, and nurische hym, and that he schulde regne.

¹⁶ And kyng Antiok diede there, in the hundrid and nyne and fourti yeer.

¹⁷ And Lisias knew, that the kyng was deed, and ordeynede Antiok, the sone of hym, for to regne, whom he nurschide yong; and clepide his name Eupator.

¹⁸ And thei that weren in the hiy tour, closiden togidere Israel in cumpas of hooli thingis, and souyten to hem yuels euer more, to strengthing of hethene men.

¹⁹ And Judas thouyte for to distrie hem, and clepide togidere al the puple, for to bisege hem.

²⁰ And thei camen togidere, and bisegiden hem, in the hundrid and fiftithe yeer; and thei maden arblastis, `ether trepeiettis, that is, an instrument for to caste schaftis, and stoonys, and engynes.

²¹ And summe of hem that weren bisegid, wenten out; and summe of vnfeithful men of Israel ioyneden hem silf to hem,

²² and wenten to the kyng, and seiden, Hou long doist thou not dom, and vengist not oure britheren?

²³ And we demyden for to serue thi fadir, and for to walke in hise heestis, and obeische to hise comaundementis.

²⁴ And the sones of oure puple alienyden hem fro vs for this thing; and whiche euere weren foundun of vs, weren slayn, and oure eritagis weren rauyschid awei.

²⁵ And not oneli to vs thei stretchiden out the hond, but and in to alle oure coostis.

²⁶ And lo! thei applieden to day to the hiy tour in Jerusalem, for to ocupie it, and thei strengthiden a strengthing in Bethsura.

²⁷ And if thou schalt not bifore come hem more swiftli, thei schulen do grettere thingis than thes, and thou schalt not mowe welde hem.

²⁸ And the kyng was wroth, as he herde this thing, and clepide togidere alle hise frendis, and princes of his oost, and hem that weren ouer horsemen;

²⁹ but also an hirid oost fro othere rewmes, and ilis, and see coostis camen to hym.

³⁰ And the noumbre of his oost was an hundrid thousynde of foot men, and twenti thousynde of horse men, and two and thritti olifauntis tauyt to batel.

³¹ And thei camen bi Idumee, and thei applieden to Bethsura, and fouyten many daies; and thei maden engynes, and thei wenten out, and brenten hem in fier, and fouyten manli.

³² And Judas wente fro the hiy tour, and mouede tentis to Bethsacharan, ayens tentis of the kyng.

³³ And the kyng roos bifore the liyt, and stiride the oost in to feersnesse, ayens the weie of Bethsacharan; and the oostis maden redi hem togidere in to batel, and songen in trumpis.

³⁴ And to olifauntis thei schewiden blood of grape, and morus, `or mulberie trees, for to whette hem in to batel.

³⁵ And thei departiden the beestis bi legyouns; and to ech olifaunt a thousynde men stoden niy in haburiownes mailid togidere, and brasun helmes in her heedis, and fyue hundrid horse men chosun weren ordeyned to ech beeste.

³⁶ These weren there bifore the tyme, where euere the beeste was; and whidur euere it wente, thei wente, and departiden not ther fro.

³⁷ But and sadde touris of tre weren on hem, defendinge bi alle the beestis, and on hem weren engynes, and on ech bi hem silf men of vertu two and thritti, whiche fouyten fro aboue, and with ynne was the maister of the beeste.

³⁸ And he ordeinede the residue multitude of horse men on this half and that half, `in to twei partis, for to moue togidere the oost with trumpis, and for to constreyne the men maad thicke in her legiouns.

³⁹ And as the sunne schynede in to the goldun scheldis, and brasun, the hillis schyneden ayen of hem, and schyneden ayen, as laumpis of fier.

⁴⁰ And a part of the kyngis oost was departid bi hiy hillis, and other bi lowe places; and thei wenten warli, and ordynatli.

⁴¹ And alle men dwellynge in the lond weren mouyd togidere of the vois of multitude of hem, and ingoyng of cumpeny, and hurtlyng togidere of armeris; for the oost was ful grete and strong.

⁴² And Judas and his oost neiyide in to batel; and there fellen doun of the kyngis oost sixe hundrid men.

⁴³ And Eleasar, the sone of Saura, siy oon of the beestis haburiowned with haburiownes of the kyng, and it was hiy stondynge ouer othere beestis; and it was seyn to hym, that the kyng was on it.

⁴⁴ And he yaf hym silf for to delyuere his puple, and for to gete to hym a name euerlastynge.

⁴⁵ And he ran ther to hardili, in to the myddil of legioun, and killide on the riyt half and left; and thei fellen doun fro hym hidur and thidur.

⁴⁶ And he wente vndur the feet of the olifaunt, and vndur puttide hym silf ther to, and slow it; and it felle doun in to erthe on hym, and he was deed there.

⁴⁷ And thei siyen the vertu of the kyng, and fersnesse of his oost, and turneden awei hem silf fro hem.

⁴⁸ Forsothe tentis of the kyng stieden vp ayens hem, in to Jerusalem; and tentis of the king applieden to Judee, and to the hil of Syon;

⁴⁹ and he made pees with these that weren in Bethsura. And thei wenten out of the citee, for foodis weren not to hem closid togidere there, for the sabatis of erthe weren.

⁵⁰ And the kyng took Bethsura, and ordeynede there kepyng, for to kepe it.

⁵¹ And he turnede the tentis to the place of halewyng many daies; and ordeynede there arblastis, and engynes, and dartis of fier, and turmentis for to caste stoonys and dartis, and scorpiens for to schete arows, and slyngis.

⁵² Forsothe and thei maden engynes ayens the engynes of hem, and fouyten many daies.

⁵³ Forsothe metis weren not in the citee, for that it was the seuenthe yeer; and thei that leften of hethene men in Judee, hadden wastid the relifs of tho thingis that weren kept.

⁵⁴ And fewe men leften in hooli thingis, for hungur hadde take hem; and thei weren scaterid, ech man in to his place.

⁵⁵ And Lisias herde, that Filip, whom kyng Antiok ordeynede, whanne he lyuyde yit, that he schulde nursche Antiok, his sone, that he schulde regne,

⁵⁶ turnede ayen fro Perse and Medei, and the oost that wente with hym. And that he sekith for to take the causis of the rewme,

⁵⁷ Lisias hastide for to go, and seie to the kyng, and duykis of the oost, We failen ech dai, and litil mete is to vs, and the place which we bisegen, is strong, and it fallith to vs for to ordeyne of the rewme.

⁵⁸ Therfor now yyue we riythondis to these men, and make we pees with hem, and with al the folc of hem;

⁵⁹ and ordeyne we to hem, that thei go in lawful thingis as bifore; for whi for the lawful thingis of hem whiche we dispisiden, thei ben wrooth, and han don alle these thingis.

⁶⁰ And the word plesid in the siyt of the kyng, and of princes; and he sente to hem for to make pees, and thei resseyueden it.

⁶¹ And the kyng swoor to hem, and princes; and thei wenten out of the strengthing.

⁶² And the kyng entride in to the mount Sion, and he siy the strengthing of the place; and he brak ful soone the ooth that he swoor, and comaundide for to distrie the wal in cumpas.

⁶³ And he departide awei hastili, and turnede ayen to Antiochie, and foond Filip regnynge in the citee; and he fauyt ayens hym, and ocupiede the cyte bi strengthe.

¹ In the hundrid yeer and oon and fifti Demetrie, sone of Sileuce, wente out fro the cite of Rome, and stiede with fewe men in to a citee niy the see, and regnede there.

² And it was don, as he entride in to the hous of the rewme of his fadris, the oost cauyte Antiok, and Lisias, for to brynge hem to hym.

³ And the thing was knowun to hym, and he seide, Nyle ye schewe to me the face of hem.

⁴ And the oost slow hem. And Demetrie sat on the seete of his rewme;

⁵ and wickid men and vnfeithful of Israel camen to hym, and Alchymus, duyk of hem, that wolde be maad prest;

⁶ and accusiden the puple anentis the kyng, and seiden, Judas and hise britheren loste thi frendis, and dyuerseli loste vs fro oure lond.

⁷ Now therfor sende thou a man, to whom thou bileuest, that he go, and se al the distriyng that he hath don to vs, and to cuntreis of the kyng; and he punyschide alle frendis of hym, and helperis of hem.

⁸ And the kyng chees of his frendis Bachides, that was lord ouer the greet flood in the rewme, and trewe to the kyng, and sente hym,

⁹ for to see the distriyng that Judas dide; and he ordeynede vnfeithful Alchymus in to presthod, and bad hym do veniaunce on the sones of Israel.

¹⁰ And thei risiden, and camen with greet oost in to the lond of Juda; and thei senten messangeris, and spaken to Judas and his britheren, with pesible wordis in gile.

¹¹ And thei yauen not tent to her wordis; for thei siyen, that thei camen with greet oost.

¹² And the congregacioun of scribis camen togidere to Alchymus and Bachides, for to axe tho thingis that ben iust;

¹³ and the firste Assideis, that weren among the sones of Israel, and thei axiden of hem pees.

¹⁴ For thei seiden, A man, preist of the seed of Aaron, cometh, he schal not disseyue vs.

¹⁵ And he spak with hem pesible wordis, and swoor to hem, and seide, We schulen not brynge in to you yuels, nether to youre frendis.

¹⁶ And thei bileuyden to hym. And he cauyte of hem sixti men, and slow hem in o dai, bi the word that is writun,

¹⁷ Thei shedden out the fleischis of thi seyntis, and blood of hem in cumpas of Jerusalem, and there was not that biriede.

¹⁸ And drede and tremblyng felle in to al the puple, for thei seiden, Ther is not treuthe and dom in hem; for thei han brokun the ordynaunce, and the ooth that thei sworen.

¹⁹ And Bachides mouyde tentis fro Jerusalem, and appliede in to Bethseca; and sente, and cauyte many of hem that fledden fro hym; and he killide summe of the puple, and castide in to a greet pitte.

²⁰ And he bitook the regioun to Alchymus, and left with hym help, in to helpyng of hym. And Bachides wente to the kyng, and Alchymus dide ynow,

²¹ for the princehod of his presthod.

²² And alle camen togidere to hym, whiche disturbliden her puple, and weldiden the lond of Juda; and diden greet veniaunce in Israel.

²³ And Judas siy alle yuels, that Alchymus dide, and thei that weren with hym, to the sones of Israel, myche more than hethene men.

²⁴ And he wente oute in to alle coostis of Judee in cumpas, and dide veniaunce on men forsakeris, and thei ceesiden for to go out ferthere in to the cuntrei.

²⁵ Forsothe Alchimus siy, that Judas hadde victorie, and thei that weren with hym; and he knew that he mai not abide hem, and he wente ayen to the kyng, and accusiden hem in many synnes.

²⁶ And the kyng sente Nicanor, oon of his noblere princes, that was hauntynge enemytees ayens Israel, and comaundide hym for to distrie the puple.

²⁷ And Nycanor cam in to Jerusalem, with greet oost, and he sente to Judas and his britheren with gile, bi pesible wordis,

²⁸ seiynge, Fiyte be not bitwixe me and you; Y schal come with fewe men, for to se youre faces with pees.

²⁹ And he cam to Judas, and thei gretten hem togidere pesibli; and enemyes weren redi for to rauysche Judas.

³⁰ And the word was knowun to Judas, that with gile he cam to hym; and he was aferd of hym, and he wolde no more se his face.

³¹ And Nicanor knew, that his councel was knowun, and he wente out ayens Judas in to fiyt, bisidis Cafarsalama.

³² And ther fellen doun of Nicanoris oost almest fyue thousynde men, and thei fledden in to the citee of Dauid.

³³ And after these wordis Nicanor stiede in to the hil of Sion, and ther wenten out of prestis of the puple, for to grete hym in pees, and for to schewe to hym brent sacrifices, that weren offrid for the kyng.

³⁴ And he scornyde and dispiside hem, and defoulide, and spak proudli,

³⁵ and swoor with wraththe, seiynge, If Judas schal not be takun, and his oost, in to myn hondis, anoon whanne Y schal turne ayen in pees, Y schal brenne this hous. And he wente out with greet wraththe.

³⁶ And prestis entriden, and stoden bifore the face of the auter and temple,

³⁷ and wepynge seiden, Thou, Lord, hast chosun this hous, for to clepe to helpe thi name in it, that it schulde be an hous of preier and biseching to thi puple; do thou veniaunce in this man,

³⁸ and his oost, and falle thei bi swerd; haue mynde on her blasfemyes, and yyue not to hem that thei abide.

³⁹ And Nicanor wente out fro Jerusalem, and appliede tentis to Betheron; and the oost of Sirie cam to him.

⁴⁰ And Judas appliede in Adarsa, with thre thousynde men.

⁴¹ And Judas preiede, and seide, Lord, an aungel wente out, and smoot an hundrid thousynde foure score and fyue thousyndis of hem, that weren sent fro the kyng Senacherib, for thei blasfemiden thee;

⁴² so al to-breke this oost in oure siyt to dai, and othere men wite, that he spak yuel on thin hooli thingis; and deme thou hym by the malice of hym.

⁴³ And the oostis ioyneden batel in the thrittenthe dai of the monethe Adar; and tentis of Nicanor weren al to-brokun, and he felle doun the firste in batel.

⁴⁴ Sothely as his oost siy, that Nicanor felle doun, thei castiden awei her armeris, and fledden.

⁴⁵ And thei pursueden hem the weie of o dai, fro Adasor til me come in to Gasara; and thei sungen in trumpis after hem with signefiyngis.

⁴⁶ And thei wenten out of alle castels of Judee in cumpas, and wyndewiden hem with hornes, and eftsoone weren conuertid to hem; and alle falliden bi swerd, and ther was not left of hem not oon.

⁴⁷ And thei token the spuylis of hem to prey; and thei girdiden of the heed of Nicanor, and his riyt hond which he stretchide forth proudli, and thei brouyten, and hangiden ayens Jerusalem.

⁴⁸ And the puple was glad greetli, and diden that dai in greet gladnesse;

⁴⁹ and ordeyneden this dai for to be doon in alle yeeris, in the thritteneth day of the monethe Adar.

⁵⁰ And the lond of Juda was stille a fewe dais.

¹ And Judas herde the name of Romayns, that thei ben miyti in strengthis, and acorden to alle thingis that ben axid of hem; and who euere wente to hem, thei ordeineden with hem frendschipis; and that thei ben miyti in strengthis.

² And thei herden batels of hem, and goode vertues, that thei diden in Galacie, for thei weldiden hem, and ledden vndur tribute;

³ and hou many thingis thei diden in the cuntre of Spayne, and that thei brouyten in to power metals of siluer and gold that ben there; and weldiden ech place with her councel and pacience, `or wisdom, places that weren ful fer fro hem;

⁴ and thei al to-braken kyngis that camen on hem fro the vtmeste places of erthe, and thei smytiden hem with greet wounde; forsothe othere yyuen to hem tribute bi alle yeeris.

⁵ And thei al to-braken in batel Filip, and Persen, kyngis of Cethis, and othere that baren armeris ayens hem, and weldiden hem.

⁶ And thei weldiden Antiok, the greet king of Asie, that yaf batel to hem, and hadde an hundrid and twenti olifauntis, and multitude of horse men and charis, and ful greet oost al to brokun of hem;

⁷ and thei token hym quyk, and ordeyneden to hym, that he schulde yyue greet tribut, and thei that regnede after hym; and that he schulde yyue pleggis and ordynaunce, in the cuntre of Yndis;

⁸ and thei puttiden out men of Medei, and of Lidde, fro the beste cuntreis of hem, and thei yauen tho cuntreis takun of hem to kyng Eumeny;

⁹ and that thei that weren anentis Elada, wolden go, and take awei hem; and the word was knowun to these Romayns,

¹⁰ and thei senten to hem o duyk, and thei fouyten ayens hem; and many of hem fellen, and thei ledden her wyues caitifs, and sones, and robbiden hem; and weldiden the lond of hem, and distrieden the wallis of hem, and brouyten hem in to seruage, til in to this dai.

¹¹ And thei distrieden othere rewmes and ilis, that sum tyme ayenstoden hem, and brouyten in to power.

¹² Forsothe with her frendis, and that hadden reste in hem, thei kepten frenschip, and thei weldiden rewmes that weren next, and that weren fer; for who euere herden the name of hem, dredden hem.

¹³ For thei regnyden, to whiche thei wolden be in help for to regne; forsothe whiche thei wolden, thei disturbliden fro rewme; and thei weren greetli enhaunsid.

¹⁴ In alle these Romayns no man bar diademe, nether was clothid in purpur, for to be magnefied ther ynne.

¹⁵ And thei that maden to hem a court, and ech dai thei counseliden thre hundrid and twenti, doynge counsel euere more of multitude, that thei do what thingis ben worthi.

¹⁶ And thei bitaken to o man her maistrie, `ether cheef gouernaunce, bi ech yeer, for to be lord of al her lond; and alle obeschen to oon, and enuye is not, `nether wraththe among hem.

¹⁷ And Judas chees Eupolemus, the sone of Joon, sone of Jacob, and Jason, the sone of Eleasarus, and sente hem to Rome, for to ordeyne with hem frenschip and felouschip;

¹⁸ and that thei schulden take awei fro hem the yok of Grekis, for thei sien that thei oppressiden the rewme of Israel in to seruage.

¹⁹ And thei wenten to Rome, a ful greet weie, and thei entriden in to the court,

²⁰ and seiden, Judas Machabeus, and hise britheren, and the puple of Jewis senten vs to you, for to ordeyne with you felouschip and pees, and for to write togidere vs youre felowis and freendis.

²¹ And the word pleside in the siyt of hem.

²² And this is the ayen writyng, which thei ayen writiden in brasun tablis, and senten in to Jerusalem, that it were there a memorial, `ether a thing of mynde, of pees and felouschip.

²³ Be it wel to Romayns, and to the folc of Jewis, in see and lond, with outen ende; and swerd and enemy be fer fro hem.

²⁴ That if batel bifallith to Romayns bifore, ether to alle felowis of hem in al the lordschip `of hem,

²⁵ the folc of Jewis schal bere help, as time axith, with ful herte; and the Romayns schulen not yyue,

²⁶ nether priuyli ministre to the Jewis fiytynge, wheete, armeris, monei, schippis, as it pleside to Romayns; and thei schulen kepe the maundementis of hem, and take no thing of hem.

²⁷ Forsothe in lijk maner and if batel fallith bifore to the folc of Jewis, Romayns schulen helpe of herte, as tyme suffrith hem;

²⁸ and to Romayns helpynge wheete schal not be youun, nether armeris, monei, nether schippis, as it pleside to Romayns; and thei schulen kepe the maundementis of hem with out gile.

²⁹ Bi these wordis Romayns ordeyneden to the puple of Jewis,

³⁰ That if after these wordis, these ether thei wolen put ony thing to, ether do awei, thei schulen do of her `comyn assent; and what euere thingis thei schulen put to, ether do awei, thei schulen be stidfast.

³¹ But also of yuels whiche kyng Demetrie hath don ayens hem, we han writun to hym, and we seiden, Whi hast thou greuyd thi yok on oure frendis and felowis, the Jewis?

³² Therfor if eftsoone thei schulen come to vs ayens thee, we schulen do doom to hem, and schulen fiyte with thee bi lond and see.

¹ In the mene tyme, where Demetrie herde that Nicanor felle, and his oost, in batel, he puttide to eftsoone for to sende Bachides and Alchymus in to Judee, and the riyt half schiltrun with hem.

² And thei wenten the weie that ledith in to Galgala, and thei settiden tentis in Masoloth, that is in Arbellis; and thei ocupieden it, and slowen many persoones of men.

³ In the firste monethe of the hundrid and two and fifti yeer, thei applieden the oost to Jerusalem.

⁴ And twenti thousynde of men, and twei thousynde of horse men, han risun, and wenten in to Berea.

⁵ And Judas settide tentis in Laisa, and thre thousynde men chosun with hym.

⁶ And thei siyen the multitude of oost, that thei ben manye, and thei dredden greetli; and many withdrowen hem fro tentis, and there left not of hem no but eiyte hundrid men.

⁷ And Judas siy that his oost fleet awei, and batel constreynede hym, he was brokun togidere in herte, for he hadde not tyme to gadere hem, and he was discoumfortid.

⁸ And he seide to these that weren residue, Rise we, and go we to oure aduersaries, if we schulen mow fiyte ayens hem.

⁹ And thei turneden awei hym, and seiden, We schulen not moun, but delyuere we oure lyues, and turne ayen we to oure britheren, and thanne we schulen fiyte ayens hem; forsothe we ben fewe.

¹⁰ And Judas seide, Fer be it for to do this thing, that we fle fro hem; and if oure tyme hath neiyed, die we in vertu for oure britheren, and yyue we not cryme to oure glorie.

¹¹ And the oost mouyde fro tentis, and thei stoden ayens hem. And horse men weren departid in to twei partis, and slyngeris and archeris wenten bifore the oost, and the firste men of batel alle miyti.

¹² Forsothe Bachides was in the riyt schiltrun. And the legioun of twei partis cam nyy, and crieden with trumpis.

¹³ Forsothe and these that weren on the part of Judas, crieden also, and the erthe was mouyd togidere of the vois of oostis, and batel was ioyned fro the morewtid til to euentid.

¹⁴ And Judas siy, that the part of Bachides oost was saddere in the riyt half, and alle stidfast in herte camen togidere with hym.

¹⁵ And the riyt part was al to-brokun of hem; and he pursuede hem `til to the hil of Asotus.

¹⁶ And thei that weren in the left scheltrun, siyen, that the riyt scheltrun was al to-brokun, and thei sueden at the bac aftir Judas, and hem that weren with hym.

¹⁷ And the batel was maad greuouse, and there fellen many woundid of these and of hem.

¹⁸ And Judas felle, and the othere fledden.

¹⁹ And Jonathas and Symount token her brother Judas, and birieden hym in sepulcre of his fadris, in the citee of Modyn.

²⁰ And al Israel biwepten him with greet weilyng, and mourneden many daies,

²¹ and seiden, Hou felle the myyti, that made Israel saaf.

²² And othere wordis of batels of Judas, and of vertues that he dide, and of his greetnessis, ben not writun; for tho weren ful many.

²³ And it was don, after the deth of Judas, alle wickid men in alle coostis of Israel risiden out, and alle that wrouyten wickidnesse camen forth.

²⁴ In tho daies ful greet hungur was maad, and al the cuntrey of hem bitook hem silf to Bachides with hem.

²⁵ And Bachides chees vnpitouse men, and ordeynede hem lordis of the cuntrei.

²⁶ And thei axiden out, and souyten the frendis of Judas, and brouyten hem to Bachides; and he vengide on hem, and scornede.

²⁷ And greet tribulacioun was maad in Israel, what maner was not fro the dai in which a profete was not seyn in Israel.

²⁸ And alle the frendis of Judas weren gaderid, and seiden to Jonatas, Sithen thi brother Judas is deed,

²⁹ ther is no man lijk hym, that schal go out ayens enemyes, Bachides and hem that ben enemyes of oure folc.

³⁰ Therfor now we chesen thee to dai for to be prince and duyk to vs for hym, for to fiyte oure batel.

³¹ And Jonatas resseyuede in that tyme the prinshod, and roos in the place of Judas, his brother.

³² And Bachides knew, and souyte for to sle him.

³³ And Jonatas knew, and Symount, his brother, and alle that weren with hym, and fledden in to desert of Thecue, and saten togidere at the water of the lake Asphar.

³⁴ And Bachides knew, and in the dai of sabatis he cam, and al his oost, ouer Jordan.

³⁵ And Jonathas sente his brother ledere of that puple, and preiede Nabutheis, his frendis, that he schulde bitake to hem his apparel, that was plenteuouse.

³⁶ And sones of Jambri wenten out of Madaba, and cauyten Joon, and alle thingis that he hadde, and wenten awei, hauynge tho thingis.

³⁷ After thes wordis it was teld ayen to Jonathas, and Symount, his brother, that the sones of Jambri maken grete weddyngis, and wedden a wijf of Madaba, the douyter of oon of the grete princis of Canaan, with greet pride and apparel.

³⁸ And thei bithouyten on the blood of Joon, her brother, and stieden vp, and hidden hem silf vndur kyueryng of the hil.

³⁹ And thei reisiden her iyen, and siyen, and lo! noise, and greet apparel; and a hosebonde cam forth, and hise frendis, and hise britheren, ayens hem, with tympans, and musikis, and many armeris.

⁴⁰ And thei risiden to hem fro buyschementis, and slowen hem, and many woundid fellen doun, and the residues fledden in to hil, and thei token alle the spuylis of hem;

⁴¹ and weddyngis weren conuertid in to mourenyng, and vois of her musikis in to weilyng.

⁴² And thei vengiden the veniaunce of her brotheris blood, and turnyden ayen to the brynk of Jordan.

⁴³ And Bachides herde, and cam in the dai of sabatis til to the vtmeste part of Jordan, in greet strengthe.

⁴⁴ And Jonathas seide to hise, Rise we, and fiyte ayens oure enemyes; for it is not to dai as yistirdai and the thridde dai agoon.

⁴⁵ For lo! batel is euene ayens; sotheli watir of Jordan is on this half and on that half, and ryuers, and mareis, and forestis, and ther is not place of turnyng awei.

⁴⁶ Now therfor crie ye in to heuene, that ye be delyuerede fro hond of youre enemyes.

⁴⁷ And batel was ioyned. And Jonathas strauyt out his hond, for to smyte Bachides, and he turnede awei fro him bihynde.

⁴⁸ And Jonathas skipte doun, and thei that weren with hym, in to Jordan, and swommen ouer Jordan to hem.

⁴⁹ And there fellen of Bachides part in that dai a thousande men, and thei turneden ayen in to Jerusalem;

⁵⁰ and bildiden strong citees in Judee, the strengthe that was in Jerico, and in Ammaum, and in Betheron, and Bethel, and Thamathan, and Phara, and Copho, with hiye wallis, and yatis, and lockis.

⁵¹ And he settide kepyng in hem, that thei schulden haunte enemytees in Israel;

⁵² and he strengthide the citee Bethsura, and Gazaram, and the hiy tour, and puttide in hem helpis and apparel of metis.

⁵³ And he took the sones of princes of the cuntrei in ostage, and puttide hem in the hiy tour in Jerusalem, in kepyng.

⁵⁴ And in the hundrid yeer and thre and fifti, in the secounde monethe, Alchymus comaundide the wallis of the hooli ynnere hous for to be distried, and the werkis of profetis for to be distried, and he bigan for to distrie.

⁵⁵ In that tyme Alchymus was smytun, and the werkis of hym weren lettid. And his mouth was closid, and he was dissoluyd, `ether maad feble, bi palesie, nether he miyte speke more a word, and comaunde of his hous.

⁵⁶ And Alchymus was deed in that tyme, with greet turment.

⁵⁷ And Bachides siy, that Alchymus was deed, and he turnede ayen to the kyng, and the lond was stille twei yeeris.

⁵⁸ And alle wickid men thouyten, seiynge, Lo! Jonathas, and thei that ben with hym, dwellen in silence, and tristen; now therfor brynge we Bachides, and he schal take hem alle in o niyt.

⁵⁹ And thei wenten forth, and yauen councel to hym.

⁶⁰ And he roos, for to come with myche oost. And he sente epistlis priuyli to his felowis, that weren in Judee, that thei schulden catche Jonathas, and hem that weren with hym; but thei miyten not, for her councel was knowun to hem.

⁶¹ And Jonathas cauyte of men of the cuntre, that weren princis of knytyhod, fifti men, and slow hem.

⁶² And Jonathas and Symount wenten, and thei that weren with hym, in to Bethbesse, `that is in desert, and bildiden the distried thingis therof, and maden it strong.

⁶³ And Bachides knew, and gaderide al his multitude, and denounside to hem that weren of Judee.

⁶⁴ And he cam, and settide tentis aboue Bethbesse, and fauyte ayens it many daies, and made engynes.

⁶⁵ And Jonathas lefte Symount, his brother, in the citee, and wente oute in to cuntre, and cam with noumbre;

⁶⁶ and smoot Odaren, and hise britheren, and sones of Faseron, in the tabernaclis of hem, and bigan for to smyte, and wexe in vertues.

⁶⁷ Symount sotheli, and thei that weren with hym, wenten out of the citee, and brenten engynes.

⁶⁸ And thei fouyten ayens Bachides, and he was al to-brokun of hem; and thei turmentiden hym gretli, for his councel and his assailyng was voide.

⁶⁹ And he was wrooth ayens wickid men, that yauen councel to hym for to come in to her cuntre, and slow many of hem; forsothe he thouyte with othere for to go in to his cuntre.

⁷⁰ And Jonathas knew, and sente legatis to hym, for to make pees with hym, and to yelde to him prisoneris.

⁷¹ And wilfuli he took, and dide bi his wordis, and swoor that he schulde not do to him ony yuel in alle daies of his lijf.

⁷² And he yeldide to him caitifte, which he took bi prey bifore of the lond of Juda. And he turnede, and wente in to his lond, and puttide no more for to come in to his coostis.

⁷³ And swerd ceesside fro Israel. And Jonatas dwellide in Machynas, and there Jonathas bigan for to deme the puple, and he distriede the vnfeithful men of Israel.

¹ And in the hundrid and sixtithe yeer Alisaundre, the sone of Antiok, stiede up, that is named noble, and ocupiede Tolomaide; and thei resseyueden hym, and he regnede there.

² And kyng Demetrie herde, and gaderide an oost ful copiouse, and wente out ayens hym in to batel.

³ And Demetrie sente epistle to Jonathas with pesible wordis, for to magnefie hym.

⁴ For he seide, Bifore take we for to make pees with hym, bifore that he make with Alisaundre ayens vs;

⁵ for he schal haue mynde of alle yuels, that we han don `ayens him, and ayens his brother, and ayens his folc.

⁶ And he yaf to hym power to gadere oost, and for to make armeris, and hym for to be his felowe. And he comaundide ostagis, `ether pleggis, that weren in the hiy tour, for to be youun to hym.

⁷ And Jonathas cam in to Jerusalem, and radde epistlis, in heryng of al the puple, and of hem that weren in the hiy tour.

⁸ And thei dredden with greet drede, for thei herden, that the kyng yaf to hym power to gadere an oost.

⁹ And ostagis weren takun to Jonathas, and he yeldide hem to her fadris and modris.

¹⁰ And Jonathas dwelte in Jerusalem, and bigan for to bilde and renule the citee.

¹¹ And he seide to men doynge werkis, that thei schulden make up the wallis, and the hil of Sion in cumpas, with square stonys to strengthing; and thei diden so.

¹² And aliens fledden, that weren in the strengthis, whiche Bachides hadde bildid;

¹³ and ech man lefte his place, and wente in to his lond.

¹⁴ Oneli in Bethsura dwelten sum of hem, that forsoken the lawe and heestis of God; for whi this was to hem to refuyte.

¹⁵ And Alisaundre the kyng herde biheestis, that Demetrie bihiyte to Jonathas, and thei telden to hym the batels and vertues whiche he dide, and his britheren, and the trauelis whiche thei traueliden.

¹⁶ And he seide, Whether we schulen fynde ony such man? And now make we hym our frende and felowe.

¹⁷ And he wroot epistle, and sente bi these wordis,

¹⁸ seiynge, Kyng Alisaundre to Jonathas, brother, helthe.

¹⁹ We han herde of thee, that thou art a miyti man in strengthis, and art able that thou be oure frend.

²⁰ And now we ordeynen thee to dai hiyest prest of thi folc, and that thou be clepid frend of the kyng. And he sente to hym purpur, and a goldun coroun, that thou feele with vs what thingis ben oure, and kepe frenschipis to vs.

²¹ And Jonathas clothide hym with hooly stoole, in the seuenthe monethe, in the hundrid and sixtithe yeer, in the solempne dai of Senofegie. And he gaderide an ooste, and made copiouse armeris.

²² And Demetrie herde these wordis, and was maad ful sorewful, and seide, What han we do this thing,

²³ that Alisaundre bifor ocupiede vs, for to catche frenschip of Jewis to his strengthing?

²⁴ And Y schal write to hym preiynge wordis, and dignitees, and yiftis, that he be with me in help.

²⁵ And he wroot to hym by these wordis, Kyng Demetrie to the folc of Jewis, helthe.

²⁶ For ye kepten to vs couenaunt, and dwelten in oure frenschip, and wenten not to oure enemyes, we herden, and ioieden.

²⁷ And now laste ye yit for to kepe to vs feith;

²⁸ and we schulen quyte to you good thingis, for these thingis that ye diden with vs, and we schulen foryyue to you many rentis, and we schulen yyue yiftis to you.

²⁹ And now Y asoile you, and alle Jewis, of tributis, and Y foryyue to you the prices of salt, and foryyue corouns, and the thridde part of seed;

³⁰ and Y leeue to you fro this dai and afterward the half part of fruyt of tre, that is of my porcioun, tha tit be not takun of the lond of Juda, and of thre citees that ben addid therto, of Samarie and Galile, fro this dai and in to al tyme.

³¹ And Jerusalem be hooli, and fre, with hise coostis; and tithis and tributis be of it.

³² Also Y foryiue the power of the hiy tour, that is in Jerusalem; and Y yyue it to the hiyest prest, that he ordeyne therynne men, whiche euere he schal chese, that schulen kepe it.

³³ And ech persoone of Jewis, that is caitif of the lond of Juda, in al my rewme, Y delyuer fre wilfuli, that alle be soilid of her tributis, yhe, of her beestis.

³⁴ And alle solempne daies, and sabatis, and neomenyes, and alle daies ordeyned, and thre daies bifor the solempne dai, and thre daies after the solempne dai, alle these be daies of fraunchise, and of remissioun, to alle Jewis that ben in my rewme.

³⁵ And no man schal haue power for to do ony thing, and moue causis ayens ony of hem in ony cause.

³⁶ And that ther be writun of Jewis in the kingis oost, to thritti thousyndis of men; and plentees schulen be youun to hem, as it bihoueth to alle oostis of the kyng.

³⁷ And of hem schulen be ordeyned, that be in the greet strengthis of the kyng;

³⁸ of hem schulen be ordeyned ouer nedis of the rewme, that ben don of feith, and princes be of hem; and walke thei in her lawis, as the kyng comaundide in the lond of Juda. And thre citees, that ben addid to Judee of the cuntre of Samarie, be demyd with Judee; that thei be vndur oon, and obeie not to other power, no but to the hiyeste prest;

³⁹ Tolomaida, and coostis therof, whiche Y haue youun a yifte to hooli men that ben in Jerusalem, to nedeful costis of seyntis.

⁴⁰ And Y schal yyue in ech yeer fiftene thousynde of siclis of siluer, of the kyngis resouns, that perteynen to me;

⁴¹ and al that is residue, which thei that weren ouer nedis yeldiden not in formere yeeris, fro this tyme thei schulen yyue in to werkis of the hous.

⁴² And ouer this fyue thousynde siclis of siluer, whiche thei token of resoun of hooli thingis bi ech yeer; and these thingis schulen perteyne to prestis, that vsen mynysterie.

⁴³ And who euere schulen fle to the temple that is in Jerusalem, and in alle coostis therof, and ben gilti to the king in ony cause, be releesid; and haue thei fre alle thingis, that ben to hem in my rewme.

⁴⁴ And to bilde werkis of hooli thingis, costis schulen be youun of the kyngis rent,

⁴⁵ and for to bilde out the wallis of Jerusalem; and for to make strong in cumpas, spensis schulen be youun of the kyngis rent, for to make out wallis in Judee.

⁴⁶ As Jonathas and the puple herde these wordis, thei bileueden not to hem, nether resseyueden hem; for thei hadden mynde of the greet malice that he hadde don in Israel, and hadde troblid hem greetli.

⁴⁷ And it pleside togidere to hem in to Alisaundre, for he was to hem prince of wordis of pees, and to hym thei baren help in alle daies.

⁴⁸ And kyng Alisaundre gaderide a greet oost, and mouyde tentis ayens Demetrie.

⁴⁹ And the kyngis ioyneden batel, and the oost of Demetrie fledde; and Alisaundre pursuede him, and lai on hem;

⁵⁰ and the batel was ful strong, til the sunne wente doun, and Demetrie felle in that dai.

⁵¹ And Alisaundre sente to Tolome, king of Egipt, legatis bi these wordis,

⁵² and seide, For Y cam ayen in to my rewme, and sat in the seete of my fadris; and Y haue weldid princehod, and Y haue al to-brokun Demetrie, and haue weldid oure cuntrei;

⁵³ and Y haue ioyned fiyt with hym, and he and his oostis ben al to-foulid of vs, and we saten in seete of his rewme.

⁵⁴ And now ordeyne we togidere frenschip, and yyue thi douyter a wijf to me, and Y schal be thi douyter hosebonde; and Y schal yyue to thee yiftis, and to hir dignytee.

⁵⁵ And `Tolome, kyng, answeride, seiynge, Blessid is the dai in which thou turnedist ayen to the lond of thi fadris, and hast sotun in the seete of rewme of hem.

⁵⁶ And now Y schal do to thee whiche thingis thou hast writun; but come thou ayens me to Tolomaida, that we se vs togidere, and Y biheete to thee, as thou seidist.

⁵⁷ And Tolome wente out of Egipt, he, and Cleopatra, his douyter; and he cam to Tolomaida, in the hundrid and two and sixtithe yeer.

⁵⁸ And Alisaundre, the king, came to hym; and he yaf to hym Cleopatra, his douytir, and made his weddingis at Tolomaida, as kyngis in greet glorie.

⁵⁹ And kyng Alisaundre wroot to Jonathas, that he schulde come ayens hym.

⁶⁰ And he wente with glorie to Tolomaida, and mette there twei kyngis, and yaue to hem myche siluer, and gold, and yiftis; and foond grace in the siyte of hem.

⁶¹ And men of Israel, ful of venym, camen togidere ayens hym, wickid men, axynge ayens hym, and the kyng took no tent to hem;

⁶² and comaundide Jonathas for to be maad nakid of his clothis, and hym for to be clothid in purpur; and thei diden so. And the king settide hym for to sitte with hym,

⁶³ and seide to hise princis, Go ye out with hym in to the myddil of the citee, and preche ye, that no man axe ayens hym of ony cause, nether ony man be heuy to hym of ony resoun.

⁶⁴ And it was don, as thei that axiden sien his glorie that was prechid, and hym kyuered with purpur, alle fledden.

⁶⁵ And the kyng magnefiede hym, and wroot hym among the firste frendis, and puttide hym duyk, and felow of prinshod.

⁶⁶ And Jonathas turnede ayen in to Jerusalem, with pees and gladnesse.

⁶⁷ In the hundrid yeer and fyue and sixtithe, Demetrie, the sone of Demetrie, cam fro Crete in to the lond of his fadris.

⁶⁸ And kyng Alisaundre herde, and was maad ful soreuful, and turnede ayen to Antiochie.

⁶⁹ And Demetrie ordeynede Appolyne duyk, that was souereyn of Celesirie; and he gaderide his greet oost, and cam to Jamnam; and sente to Jonathas, hiyeste prest, and seide, Thou aloone ayenstondist vs;

⁷⁰ Y am maad in to scorn and schenschip therfor, for thou hauntist power in hillis ayens vs.

⁷¹ Now therfor if thou tristist in thi vertues, come doun to vs in to the feeld; and there asemble we togidere, for with me is vertu of batels.

⁷² Axe thou, and lerne who Y am, and othere that ben in help to me, and whiche seien, that youre foot may not stonde ayens oure face, for thi fadris weren conuertid in to fliyt twies in to her lond.

⁷³ And now hou schalt thou mow susteyne multitude of horse men, and so greet oost in the feeld, where is no stoon, ne rocke, nether place of fleynge?

⁷⁴ Sotheli as Jonathas herde these wordis of Appollonye, he was mouyd in herte; and he chees ten thousynde of men, and wente out fro Jerusalem, and Symount, his brother, cam to hym in to help.

⁷⁵ And thei applieden tentis in Joppe, and it schittide out hym fro the citee, for Joppe was the keping of Appolyne; and he fouyte ayens it.

⁷⁶ And thei weren agast, that weren with ynne the citee, and openyden to hym; and Jonathas weldide Joppe.

⁷⁷ And Appolyne herde, and mouyde thre thousynde of horse men, and myche oost;

⁷⁸ and wente to Asotus, as makynge weie. And anoon he wente out in to the feeld, for that he hadde multitude of horse men, and tristnyde in hem; and Jonathas suede hym in to Asotus, and thei ioyneden batel.

⁷⁹ And Appoloyne lefte in tentis a thousynde horse men bihynde hem priueli.

⁸⁰ And Jonathas knewe that buschementis weren bihynde hym, and thei enuirowneden his tentis, and castiden dartis in to the puple, fro morew til to euentid.

⁸¹ Forsothe the puple stood, as Jonathas comaundide, and the horsis of hem traueliden out.

⁸² And Symount ledde his oost, and ioynede ayens the legioun; forsothe horse men weren maad weri, and weren al to-brokun of hym, and fledden.

⁸³ And thei that weren scaterid in to the feeld, fledden in to Asotus; and entriden in to the hous of Dagon, her idol, that there thei schulden delyuere hem silf.

⁸⁴ And Jonathas brente Asotus, and citees that weren in cumpas therof, and took spuylis of hem; and he brente in fier the temple of Dagon, and hem that fledden in to it.

⁸⁵ And ther weren that fellen bi swerd with hem that weren brent, almeste eiyte thousynde of men.

⁸⁶ And fro thennus Jonathas mouyde tentis, and appliede hem to Ascalon; and thei wenten out of the citee ayens hym in greet glorie.

⁸⁷ And Jonathas turnede ayen in to Jerusalem with hise men, hauynge many spuylis.

⁸⁸ And it was don, as king Alisaundre herde these wordis, he puttide to yit for to glorifie Jonathas.

⁸⁹ And he sente to hym a goldun lace, `ether nouche, as custom is for to be youun to cosyns of kingis; and he yaf to him Accoron, and alle coostis therof in to possessioun.

¹ And the kyng of Egipt gaderide an oost, as grauel that is aboute the brynke of the see, and many schippis; and souyte for to welde the rewme of Alisaundre in gile, and adde it to his rewme.

² And he wente out in to Sirie with pesible wordis, and thei openyden to hym citees, and camen to hym; for whi kyng Alisaundre comaundide for to go out ayens him, for he was fadir of the kyngis wijf.

³ Sotheli whanne Tolome entride in to a citee, he puttide kepyngis of kniytis in ech citee. And as he neiyede to Azotus, thei schewiden to hym the temple of Dagon brent in fier, and Azotus, and othere thingis therof distried, and bodies cast forth, and the biriels of hem that weren slayn in batel, whiche thei maden bisidis the weie.

⁵ And thei telden to the kyng, that Jonathas dide these thingis, for to make enuye to hym; and the kyng was stille.

⁶ And Jonathas cam to the kyng with glorie in to Joppen, and thei gretten hem togidere; and thei slepten there.

⁷ And Jonathas wente with the king til to the flood that is clepid Eleutherus, and turnede ayen in to Jerusalem.

⁸ Sotheli kyng Tolome weldide the lordschip of citees til to Seleuce, bi the eest coost, and thouyte ayens Alisaundre yuel counsels;

⁹ and sente legatis to Demetrie, and seide, Come thou, make we bitwixe vs couenaunt, and Y schal yyue to thee my douyter, whom Alisaundre hath, and thou schalt regne in rewme of thi fadir.

¹⁰ For it rewith me, that Y yaf to hym my douyter; for he souyte for to sle me.

¹¹ And he dispiside him therfor, for he coueitide the rewme of hym.

¹² And he took a wey his douyter, and yaf hir to Demetrie, and alienyde hym fro Alisaundre; and hise enemytees weren maad knowun.

¹³ And Tolome entride in to Antiochie, and puttide twei diademys to his heed, of Egipt and of Asie.

¹⁴ Forsothe Alisaundre, the kyng, was in Cilice in tho tymes, for thei rebelliden, that weren in tho places.

¹⁵ And Alisaundre herde, and cam to hym in to batel; and Tolome, kyng, brouyt forth oost, and cam to hym in strong hond, and droof hym.

¹⁶ And Alisaundre flei in to Arabie, for to be defendid there; sotheli kyng Tolome was enhaunsid.

¹⁷ And Gadiel of Arabie took awei Alisaundris heed, and sente to Tolome.

¹⁸ And kyng Tolome was deed in the thridde dai; and thei that weren in strengthis perischiden, of hem that weren with ynne the castels.

¹⁹ And Demetrie regnede in the hundrid yeer and seuene and sixtithe.

²⁰ In tho daies Jonathas gaderide hem that weren in Judee, for to ouercome the hiy tour, that is in Jerusalem; and thei maden ayens it many engynes.

²¹ And summe wickid men, that hatiden her folc, wenten to the kyng Demetrie, and telden to hym, that Jonathas bisegide the hiy tour.

²² And as he herde, he was wroth, and anoon he cam to Tolomaida, and wroot to Jonathas, that he schulde not bisege the hiy tour, but schulde come to hym in haaste, to speke togidere.

²³ Sotheli as Jonathas herde, he comaundide for to bisege; and he chees of the eldere men of Israel, and of prestis, and yaf hym to perel.

²⁴ And he took gold, and siluer, and cloth, and many other presentis; and wente to the kyng, to Tolomaida, and foond grace in the siyt of hym.

²⁵ And summe wickid men of his folc axiden ayens hym;

²⁶ `and the kyng dide to him, as thei that weren bifore hym, diden to hym; and he enhaunside him in siyt of alle his frendis,

²⁷ and ordeynede to hym prinsehod of presthod, and what euere othere preciouse thingis he hadde bifore; and made hym prince of hise frendis.

²⁸ And Jonatas axide of the kyng, that he schulde make Judee fre, and thre prinshedis of thre places, and Samarie and niy coostis therof; and he bihiyte to hym thre hundrid talentis.

²⁹ And the kyng consentide, and wroot to Jonatas epistles of alle these thingis, conteynynge this maner.

³⁰ Kyng Demetrie to Jonathas, brother, heelthe, and to the folc of Jewis.

³¹ The ensaumple of epistle, which we han writun to Lascheny, oure fadir, of you, we senten to you, that ye schulden wite.

³² Kyng Demetrie to Lascheny, fadur, heelthe.

³³ To the puple of Jewis, oure frendis, and kepynge whiche thingis ben iust anentis vs, we demyden for to do wel, for benygnyte of hem that thei han anentis vs.

³⁴ Therfor we ordeynen to hem, alle the coostis of Judee, and thre citees of offryngis, Liddea, and Ramatha, and Faseron, that ben addid to Judee, and Samarie, and alle the niy coostis of hem, for to be departid to alle men doynge sacrifice in Jerusalem, for these thingis that the kyng took bifore of hem bi alle yeeris, and for fruytis of the erthe, and of applis.

³⁵ And other thingis that perteyneden to vs, of tithis, and tributis, fro this tyme we foryyuen to hem; and the pleyn places of salt makyng, and the corouns that weren borun to vs, alle thingis we graunten to hem;

³⁶ and no thing of these schal be voide, fro this and in to al tyme.

³⁷ Now therfor bisie ye for to make ensaumple of these thingis, and be it youun to Jonathas, and be put in the holi mount, and in the solempne place.

³⁸ And kyng Demetrie siy, that the lond was stille in his siyt, and that no thing ayenstood hym, and lefte al his oost, ech man in to his place, outakun the straunge oost, that he drow fro ilis of hethene men; and alle the oostis of his fadris wcren enemyes to hym.

³⁹ Forsothe oon Trifon was of the partis of Alisaundre bifore, and he siy that al the oost grutchide ayens Demetrie; and he wente to Machuel Arabian, that nurschide Antiok, the sone of Alisaundre.

⁴⁰ And he maad greet instaunce to hym, that he schulde bitake him to hym, for to regne in stide of his fadir; and telde out to hym, hou grete thingis Demetrie hadde don, and the enemytees of his oostis ayens hym; and he dwelte there many daies.

⁴¹ And Jonathas sente to kyng Demetrie, that he schulde caste out hem, that weren in the hiy tour in Jerusalem, and whiche weren in strengthis, for thei inpugnyden Israel.

⁴² And Demetrie sente to Jonatas, and seide, Not oneli this Y schal do to thee, and thi folc, but Y schal make thee noble bi glorie, and thi folc, whanne it schal be couenable.

⁴³ Now therfor riytli thou schalt do, if thou schalt sende men in to help to me, for al myn oost wente awei.

⁴⁴ And Jonathas sente to hym thre thousynde of stronge men, to Antiochie; and thei camen to the kyng, and the kyng delitide in the comyng of hem.

⁴⁵ And there camen togidere that weren of the citee sixe score thousynde of men, and wolden sle the kyng.

⁴⁶ And the kyng fledde in to the halle. And thei that weren of the citee ocupieden the weies of the citee, and bigunnen for to fiyte.

⁴⁷ And the kyng clepide Jewis in to help, and alle camen togidere to hym, and alle weren scaterid bi the citee;

⁴⁸ and slowen in that dai an hundrid thousynde of men, and brenten the citee, and token many spuylis in that dai, and delyueriden the kyng.

⁴⁹ And thei siyen, that weren of the citee, that Jewis hadden take the citee as thei wolden; and thei weren maad vnstidefast in her soule, and crieden to the king with preieris, and seiden,

⁵⁰ Yyue to vs riythondis, and ceesse the Jewis for to fiyte ayens vs and the citee.

⁵¹ And thei castiden awei her armeris, and maden pees. And Jewis weren glorified in the siyt of the kyng, and in the siyt of alle men that weren in his rewme, and weren named in the rewme. And thei wenten ayen in to Jerusalem, hauynge many spuylis.

⁵² And kyng Demetrie sat in seete of his rewme, and the lond was stille in his siyt.

⁵³ And he liede alle thingis, what euere he seide, and alienyde hym fro Jonathas, and yeldide not to hym bi beneficis, whiche he hadde youun to hym; and Demetrie trauelide hym greetli.

⁵⁴ Aftir these thingis Trifon turnede ayen, and Antiok, a yong child, with hym; and regnede, and puttide on hym a diademe.

⁵⁵ And alle oostis weren gaderid to him, whiche kyng Demetrie scateride; and thei fouyten ayens hym, and he flei, and turnyde backis.

⁵⁶ And Trifon took beestis, and weldide Antiochie.

⁵⁷ And Antiok the yonge wroot to Jonatas, and seide, Y ordeyne to thee presthod, and Y ordeyne thee on foure citees, that thou be of the kyngis frendis.

⁵⁸ And he sente to hym goldun vessels, in to mynysterie, and yaf to hym power to drynk in gold, and for to be in purpur, and for to haue a goldun lace, `ether nouche.

⁵⁹ And he ordeynede Symount, his brother, duyk fro the endis of Tirie til to the endis of Egipt.

⁶⁰ And Jonathas wente out, and walkide ouer the flood bi citees; and al the oost of Sirie was gaderid to hym in to help. And he cam to Ascalon, and thei of the citee camen ayens hym worschipfuli.

⁶¹ And fro thennus he wente `in to Gasa, and thei that weren at Gasa closiden hem togidere, and he bisegide it. And he brente what thingis weren in cumpas of the citee, and spuylide it bi prey.

⁶² And men of Gasa preyeden Jonatas, and he yaf to hem riyt hond, `ether pees. And he took the sones of hem in ostage, and he sente hem in to Jerusalem, and walkide thorou the cuntre til to Damask.

⁶³ And Jonathas herde, that the princes of Demetrie trespassiden in Cades, that is in Galilee, with myche oost, willynge for to remoue him fro nede of the rewme; and he cam ayens hem.

⁶⁴ Forsothe he lefte Symount, his brother, withynne the prouynce.

⁶⁵ And Symount appliede to Bethsura, and fauyt ayens it many daies, and closide togidere hem.

⁶⁶ And thei axiden of hym for to take riythondis, and he yaf to hem. And he castide out hem fro thennus, and took the citee, and puttide ther ynne strengthe.

⁶⁷ And Jonathas and his tentis, `ether oost, applieden to the water of Genasar, and bifor the liyt thei walkiden in the liyt of Asor.

⁶⁸ And lo! the tentis, `ether oostis, of aliens camen ayens in the feeld, and settiden to him aspies in the hillis. Sotheli he cam ayens of the contrarie part.

⁶⁹ Sotheli the aspies risiden vp of her places, and ioyneden batel.

⁷⁰ And alle that weren of Jonathas part fledden, and no man of hem was left, no but Matathias, sone of Absalomy, and Judas, sone of Calphi, prince of knyythod and oost.

⁷¹ And Jonathas torente hise clothingis, and puttide erthe in his heed, and preiede.

⁷² And Jonathas turnede ayen to hem in to batel, and togidere turnyde hem in to fliyt, and fouyten.

⁷³ And thei of his part that fledden sayn, and thei turnyden ayen to hym, and pursueden with hym til to Cades, to her tentis, and fulli camen til thidur.

⁷⁴ And ther felden doun in that dai of aliens thre thousynde of men, and Jonathas turnede ayen in to Jerusalem.

¹ And Jonatas siy that the tyme helpith hym; and he chees men, and sente hem to Rome for to ordeyne and renule frendschip with hem.

² And to Sparciates, and to other places, he sente epistlis bi the same forme.

³ And thei wenten to Rome, and entriden in to the court, and seiden, Jonathas, hiyeste prest, and the folc of Jewis, sente vs, for to renule frendschip and felouschip, bi the formere.

⁴ And thei yauen to hem epistlis to hem bi placis, that thei schulden lede forth hem in to the lond of Juda with pees.

⁵ And this is the ensaumple of pistlis, whiche Jonathas wroot to Sparciatis.

⁶ Jonathas, hiyeste preest, and the eldere men of the folc, and prestis, and othere puple of Jewis, to Sparciatis, britheren, helthe.

⁷ Now bifore epistlis weren sent to Onyas, hiyeste prest, fro Darius, that regnede anentis you; for ye ben oure britheren, as the rescrite conteyneth, that is vndur put.

⁸ And Onyas resseyuede the man, that was sent, with onour, and took epistlis, in whiche he was signefied of felouschip and frendschip.

⁹ Whanne we hadden no nede of these, and hadden in coumfort hooli bookis that ben in oure hondis,

¹⁰ we hadden leuere for to sende to you, for to renule britherhod and frenschip, lest perauenture we be maad aliens fro you; forwhi many tymes passiden, sithen ye senten to vs.

¹¹ We therfor in al tyme with out ceessyng, in to solempne daies, and othere, in whiche it bihoueth, ben myndeful of you in sacrifices that we offren, and in obseruaunces, as leueful is, and bisemeth, for to haue hadde mynde of britheren.

¹² Therfore we ben glad of youre glorie.

¹³ Forsothe many tribulaciouns and many batels enuyrownden vs; and kyngis, that ben in oure cumpas, `fouyten ayens vs.

¹⁴ Therfore we wolden not be greuouse to you, nether to othere felowis, and oure frendis, in these batels.

¹⁵ For we hadden help of heuene, and ben delyuered, and oure enemyes ben maad lowe.

¹⁶ Therfor we han chosun Newmenyus, the sone of Antiok, and Antipatre, sone of Jasoun, and senten to Romayns, for to renule with hem both frendschip and formere felouschipe.

¹⁷ Therfor we comaundiden to hem, that thei come also to you, and grete you, and yelde to you oure pistlis of renulyng of oure britherhod.

¹⁸ And nowe ye schulen do wel, answerynge to vs to these thingis.

¹⁹ And this is the ayenwrityng of epistlis, that Onyas, the kyng of Sparciatis, sente.

²⁰ Onyas to Jonathas, greet preest, heelthe.

²¹ It is foundyn in writyng of Sparciatis, and of Jewis, that thei ben britheren, and that thei ben of the kyn of Abraham.

²² And now sithen we knowen these thingis, ye don wel, writynge to vs of youre pees.

²³ But and we han ayen writun to you. Oure beestis and oure possessiouns ben youre, and youre oure. Therfor we comaundiden, for to telle these thingis to you.

²⁴ And Jonathas herde, that the princes of Demetrie wenten out with myche oost, ouer that bifore, for to fiyte ayens hym.

²⁵ And he wente out fro Jerusalem, and ran ayens hem in the cuntre of Amathitha; for he yaf not space to hem, for to entre in to his cuntree.

²⁶ And he sente aspies in the tentis of hem, and thei turneden ayen, and telden, that thei ordeyneden for to come ouer thidur in niyt.

²⁷ Whanne the sunne hadde go doun, Jonathas badde his men wake, and be redi in armeris to batel al nyyt. And he settide keperis bi cumpas of tentis;

²⁸ and aduersaries herden, that Jonathas was redi with hise men in batel, and thei dredden, and inwardli weren agast in her herte, and tendiden fieris in her tentis.

²⁹ Forsothe Jonathas, and thei that weren with hym, knewen not til to the morewe; for thei siyen liytis brennynge.

³⁰ And Jonathas suyde hem, and cauyte not hem; for thei passiden the flood Eleutherus.

³¹ And Jonathas turnede to Arabas, that weren clepid Sabadeis; and smoot hem, and took spuylis of hem; and ioynede,

³² and cam in to Damask, and walkide bi al that cuntre.

³³ Forsothe Symount wente out, and cam til to Ascalon, and to the nexte strengthis; and he bowide doun in to Joppe, and ocupiede it.

³⁴ For he herde, that thei wolden yyue help to partis of Demetrie; and he puttide there keperis, for to kepe it.

³⁵ And Jonathas turnede ayen, and clepide togidere the eldere men of the puple, and thouyte with hem for to bilde strengthis in Judee,

³⁶ and for to bilde wallis in Jerusalem, and for to reise a greet hiythe, bytwixe the myddil of the hiy tour and the citee, for to departe it fro the citee, that it were aloone, and nether thei bie, nether sille.

³⁷ And thei camen togidere, for to bilde the citee. And the wal felle doun togidere, that was on the streem, fro the risyng of the sunne; and he reparalide it, that is clepid Cafeteta.

³⁸ And Symount bildide Adiada in Sephela, and strengthide it, and puttide on yatis and lockis.

³⁹ And whanne Trifon thouyte for to regne at Asie, and take a diademe, and stretche out hond in to Antiok kyng,

⁴⁰ he dredde, lest perauenture Jonathas schulde not suffre hym, but fiyte ayens hym; and he souyte for to catche hym, and sle.

⁴¹ And he roos vp, and wente in to Bethsan. And Jonathas wente out ayens hym, with fourti thousynde of chosun men in to batel, and cam to Bethsan.

⁴² And Trifon siy, that Jonathas cam with myche oost, for to stretche out hondis in to hym.

⁴³ And he dredde, and resseyuede hym with onour, and comendide hym to alle his frendis; and yaf to hym yiftis, and comaundide to his oostis, for to obeie to hym as to hym silf.

⁴⁴ And he seide to Jonathas, Wherto hast thou trauelid al the puple, whanne batel is not to vs?

⁴⁵ And now sende ayen hem in to her housis. But chese thou to thee a fewe men, that ben with thee, and come thou with me to Tolomayda, and Y schal yyue it to thee, and other strengthis, and oost, and alle souereyns of offices; and Y schal turne, and Y schal go awei. For whi therfor Y cam.

⁴⁶ And he bileuyde to hym, and dide as he seide, and lefte the oost; and thei wente awei in to the lond of Juda.

⁴⁷ Forsothe he withhelde with hym thre thousynde of men, of whiche he sente ayen in to Galilee two thousynde; sotheli a thousynde cam with hym.

⁴⁸ Forsothe as Jonathas entride in to Tolomaida, men of Tolomaida schittiden the yatis, and cauyten hym; and slowen bi swerd alle that entriden with hym.

⁴⁹ And Trifon sente oost, and horse men in to Galilee, and in to the greet feeld, for to leese alle the felowis of Jonathas.

⁵⁰ And whanne thei knewen that Jonathas was takun, and perischide, and alle that weren with hym, thei monestiden hem silf, and wenten out redi in to batel.

⁵¹ And thei siyen that pursueden, that thing was to hem for the lijf, and turneden ayen.

⁵² Forsothe thei camen alle with pees in to the lond of Juda. And thei biweiliden Jonathas greetli, and alle that weren with hym, and Israel mourenyde with greet mourenyng.

⁵³ And alle hethene men that weren in the cumpas of hem, souyte for to al to-breken hem;

⁵⁴ for thei seiden, Thei han no prince and helpere; now therfor ouercome we hem, and take we awei fro men the mynde of hem.

¹ And as Symount herde, that Trifon gaderide a greet oost, for to come in to the lond of Juda,

² and for to distrie it, and siy that the puple was in tremblyng and drede, he stiy vp to Jerusalem, and gaderide the puple;

³ and monestide, and seide, Ye witen, hou grete thingis Y, and my britheren, and the hous of my fadir, han do, for lawis, and for hooli thingis, batels, and what maner angwischis we saien.

⁴ For loue of these thingis alle my britheren perischiden for Israel, and Y aloone am left.

⁵ And now bifalle it not to me, for to spare my lijf in al the tyme of tribulacioun; for Y am not betere than my britheren.

⁶ Therfor Y schal venge my folc, and hooli thingis, and oure children, and wyues; for alle hethene men ben gaderid, for to distrie vs, bi cause of enemyte.

⁷ And the spirit of the puple was kyndlid togidere, as it herde these wordis.

⁸ And thei answeriden with greet vois, seiynge, Thou art oure duyk in stide of Judas, and Jonathas, thi brother; fiyte thou oure batel,

⁹ and alle thingis what euere thou schalt seie to vs, we schulen do.

¹⁰ And he gaderide alle men fiyteris, and hastide for to ende alle wallis of Jerusalem, and strengthide it in cumpas.

¹¹ And he sente Jonathas, the sone of Absolomy, and with hym a newe oost, in to Joppe. And whanne he hadde put out these men that weren in it, he dwelte there.

¹² And Trifon mouyde fro Tolomaida with myche oost, for to come in to the lond of Juda, and Jonathas with hym in kepyng.

¹³ Forsothe Symount appliede in Addus, ayens the face of the feeld.

¹⁴ And as Trifon knew, that Symount roos in the stide of his brother Jonathas, and that he was to ioynynge batel with hym, he sente to hym legatis,

¹⁵ and seide, For siluer, that thi brother Jonatas ouyte in acountis of the kyng, we withhelden hym.

¹⁶ And nowe sende thou an hundrid talentis of siluer, and hise twei sones pleggis, that he not dismyttid fle fro vs, and we schulen ayensende hym.

¹⁷ And Symount knew, that with gile he spak with hym. Netheles he comaundide the siluer for to be youun, and children, leste he schulde take grete enemytee at the puple of Israel, seiynge, For he sente not to hym siluer and children,

¹⁸ therfor he perischide.

¹⁹ And he sente the children, and an hundrid talentis. And he liede, and dismyttide not Jonathas.

²⁰ And after these thingis Trifon cam with ynne the cuntre, for to distrie it. And thei cumpassiden bi the weie that ledith to Ador; and Symount and his oost walkiden in to ech place, whidur euere thei wenten.

²¹ Sotheli thei that weren in the hiy tour, senten legatis to Trifon, for to haste to come bi desert, and sende to hem foodis.

²² And Trifon made redi al the multitude of horse men, for to come in that nyyt. Sotheli ther was ful myche snow, and he cam not in to Galadithym.

²³ And whanne he neiyede to Baschama, he slow Jonathas and hise sones there.

²⁴ And Trifon turnede, and wente in to his lond.

²⁵ And Symount sente, and took the boonus of Jonathas, his brother, and biride tho in Modyn, the citee of hise fadris.

²⁶ And al Israel biweiliden hym with greet weilyng, and thei bymourenyde hym many daies.

²⁷ And Symount bildide on the sepulcre of his fadir and hise britheren an hiy bildyng in siyt, with stoon polischid bihynde and bifore.

²⁸ And he ordeynede seuene smale bildyngis, brood bynethe and scharp aboue, oon ayens oon, to fadir, and modir, and foure britheren.

²⁹ And to these he puttide aboute grete pilers, and on the pileris armeris, to euerlastynge mynde; and bisidis armeris schippis grauun, whiche schulden be seyn of men seilynge in the see.

³⁰ This is the sepulcre that Symount maad in Modyn, til in to this day.

³¹ Forsothe whanne Trifon made weie with Antiok, the yonge kyng, in gile he slow hym, and regnyde in his stide;

³² and puttide on hym the diademe of Asie, and made greet veniaunce in the lond.

³³ And Symount bildide strengthis of Judee, and wardide hem with hiy touris, and grete wallis, and yatis, and lockis; and puttide foodis in strengthingis.

³⁴ And Symount chees men, and sente to kyng Demetrie, that he schulde make remyssioun to the cuntree, for alle dedis of Trifon weren don bi rauyschyng.

³⁵ And kyng Demetrie answeride to hym to these wordis, and wroot suche epistle.

³⁶ Kyng Demetrie to Symount, hiyeste prest, and frend of kyngis, and to the eldere men, and folc of Jewis, heelthe.

³⁷ We resseyueden the goldun coroun, and baheu, which ye senten, and ben redi for to make with you greet pees, and for to write to prepostis of the kyng, for to releesse to you what thingis we foryauen;

³⁸ for what euere thingis we ordeynen to you, ben stable. The strengthis that ye bildiden, be to you; and we forgyuen ignorances and synnes,

³⁹ til in to this dai, and the coroun that ye ouyten; and if ony other thing was tributarie in Jerusalem, now be it not tributarie.

⁴⁰ And if ony of you ben able for to be writun togidere among oure men, be thei writun togidere, and pees be bitwixe vs.

⁴¹ In the hundrid yeer and seuentithe, the yok of hethene men was takun awei fro Israel.

⁴² And the puple began for to write in tablis, and comyn doyngis, in the firste yeer vndur Symount, hiyeste prest, greet duyk, and prince of Jewis.

⁴³ In tho daies Symount appliede to Gasan, and enuyrownyde it with tentis, and made engines, and appliede to the citee, and smoot o tour, and took it.

⁴⁴ And thei that braken out, weren with ynne the engyne in the cite, and greet stiryng was maad in the cite.

⁴⁵ And thei stieden vp, that weren in the cite, with her wyues, and sones, on the wal, with her cootis kit, and crieden with greet vois axynge of Symount that riythondis be youun to hem,

⁴⁶ and seiden, Yelde thou not to vs bi oure malices, but bi thi mercies, and we schulen serue to thee.

⁴⁷ And Symount was bowid, and fauyt not ayens hem; netheles he castide hem out of the citee, and clenside fulli the housis in whiche weren symylacris, and thanne he entride in to it with ympnes, and blesside the Lord.

⁴⁸ And whanne alle vnclennesse was caste out therof, he settide therynne men, that schulden do the lawe; and he strengthide it, and made an abitacioun to him.

⁴⁹ Forsothe thei that weren in the hiy tour of Jerusalem, weren forbodun for to go out and go yn, in to the cuntre, and bie, and sille; and thei hungriden greetli, and many of hem perischiden for hungur.

⁵⁰ And thei crieden to Symount, for to take riyt hondis, and he yaf to hem; and he castide out hem fro thennus, and clenside the hiy tour fro defoulingis.

⁵¹ And thei entriden in to it in thre and twentithe dai of the secounde monethe, in the hundrid and oon and seuenty yeer, with heriyng, and braunchis of palmes, and instrumentis of musik, `ether giternys, and cymbalis, and harpis, and ympnys, and songis, for the greet enemye of Israel was al to-brokun.

⁵² And he ordeynede, that in alle yeeris these daies schulden be don with gladnesse.

⁵³ And he strengthide the hil of the temple, that was bisidis the hiy tour, and dwelte there, he, and thei that weren with hym.

⁵⁴ And Symount siy Joon, his sone, that he was a man of batel, and he puttide hym duyk of alle vertues, and he dwelte in Gasaris.

¹ In the hundrid and two and seuenti yeer kyng Demetrie gaderide his oost, and wente to Medei, for to drawe togidere helpis to hym, for to ouercome Trifon.

² And as Arsases, kyng of Persis and Medei, herde that Demetrie entride in to his niy coostis, he sente oon of hise princes, for to take hym quyk, and that he schulde brynge hym to hym silf.

³ And he wente, and smoot tentis, `ether oost, of Demetrie, and took hym, and ledde hym to Arsaces, and he puttide hym in to kepyng.

⁴ And the lond of Juda was pesible in alle daies of Symount, and he souyte goode thingis of his folc; and his power and his glorie pleside to hem in alle daies.

⁵ And with al his glorie he took Joppe in to hauene, and made entre in to ilis of the see;

⁶ and alargide the coostis of his puple, and weldide the cuntre.

⁷ And he gaderide myche caitifte, and was lord in Gasara, and Bethsura, and the hiy tour; and dide awei vnclennessis of it, and ther was not that ayenstood hym.

⁸ And ech man tilide his owne lond with pees, and the lond of Juda yaf hise fruitis, and trees of feeldis her fruitis.

⁹ Eldere men saten alle in stretis, and tretiden of goodis of the lond; and yonge men clothiden hem in glorie, and in stoolis of batel.

¹⁰ And to the citees he yaf foodis, and ordeynede tho, that tho weren vessels of strengthing, til that the name of his glorie was named til to the laste of erthe.

¹¹ He made pees on the lond, and Israel was glad with greet gladnesse;

¹² and ech man sat vndur his vyne, and vndur his fige tree, nether ther was that feeride hem.

¹³ The fiytynge man ayens hem failide on erthe; kyngis weren al to-brokun in tho daies.

¹⁴ And he confermyde alle meke men of his puple, and he souyte out the lawe, and dide awei al yuel and wickidnesse;

¹⁵ and he glorifiede hooli thingis, and multipliede vessels of hooli thingis.

¹⁶ And it was herd at Rome, that Jonathas was deed, and til in to Sparciatis, and thei weren ful soreuful.

¹⁷ Forsothe as thei herden, that Symount, his brother, was maad hiyeste preest in his stide, and he weldide the cuntre, and citees in it,

¹⁸ thei writiden to hym in brasun tablis, for to renule frenschip, and felouschip, that thei maden with Judas and Jonathas, his britheren;

¹⁹ and thei weren rad in the siyt of the chirche in Jerusalem. And this is ensaumple of pistlis, that Sparciatis senten.

²⁰ The prince and citees of Sparciatis to Symount, greet prest, and to the eldere men, and prestis, and to othere puple of Jewis, britheren, heelthe.

²¹ Legatis that weren sente to oure puple, telden to vs of youre glorie, and onour, and gladnesse, and we ioieden in the entree of hem.

²² And we han write what thingis weren seid of hem in councels of puple, thus. Numenyus, the sone of Antiok, and Antipater, the sone of Jason, legatis of Jewis, camen to vs, and renulide with vs the formere frendschip.

²³ And it pleside to the puple, for to resseyue the men gloriousli, and to putte ensaumple of her wordis in departid bookis of the puple, that it be to mynde to the puple of Sparciatis; forsothe we han write ensaumple of these thingis to Symount, the greet preest.

²⁴ Forsothe aftir these thingis Symount sente Numenyus to Rome, hauynge a greet goldun scheeld, in weiyte of a thousynde besauntis, for to ordeyne felouschip with hem. Sotheli whanne the puple of Rome herde these wordis,

²⁵ thei seiden, What doyng of thankyngis schulen we yelde to Symount, and his sones?

²⁶ For he restoride his britheren, and ouercam the enemyes of Israel fro hem. And thei ordeyneden to hym liberte, and writiden in brasun tablis, and Jewis puttiden in titlis, in the mount of Sion.

²⁷ And this is ensaumple of writyng. In the eiytenthe dai of the monethe Ebul, in the hundrid and two and seuenti yeer, the thridde yeer vndur Symount, greet preest, in Asaramael,

²⁸ in the greet comyng togidere of prestis, of the puple, and princis, and folc, and `eldere men of the cuntre, these thingis weren maad knowun; for many tymes batels weren don in youre cuntre.

²⁹ Forsothe Symount, the sone of Matatias, of the sones of Jarib, and his britheren, yauen hem silf to perel, and ayenstoden aduersaries of her folc, that her hooli thingis and lawe schulde stonde; and bi greet glorye thei glorifieden her folc.

³⁰ And Jonathas gaderide his folc, and was maad to hem a greet preest, and is put to his puple.

³¹ And the enemyes of hem wolden defoule holi thingis, and distrie the cuntre of hem, and stretche forth hond in to hooli thingis `of hem.

³² Thanne Symount ayenstood, and fauyt for his puple, and yaf many richessis, and armyd men of vertu of his folc, and yaf to hem sowdis;

³³ and strengthide the citees of Juda, and Bethsura, that was in the endis of Judee, where bifor weren armeris of enemyes, and he puttide there help, men of Jewis.

³⁴ And he strengthide Joppe, that was at the see, and Gasara, that was in coostis of Asotus, in which enemyes dwelten bifore; and he settide there Jewis, and what euere thingis weren able to amendyng of hem, he puttede in hem.

³⁵ And the puple siy the doyng of Symount, and glorie that he thouyte `for to do to his folc, and thei maden hym her duyk, and prince of preestis, for that he hadde don alle these thingis, and riytwisnesse, and feith that he kepte to his folc; and he souyte out in al maner for to raise hys puple.

³⁶ And in hise daies it hadde prosperite in his hondis, that hethene men weren takun awei fro the cuntre of hem, whiche weren in the citee of Dauid in Jerusalem, in the hiy tour; fro which thei camen out, and defouliden alle thingis that weren in cumpas of hooli thingis, and yauen greet wounde to chastite.

³⁷ And he settide ther ynne men Jewis, to defendyng of the cuntre and citee, and reiside the wallis in Jerusalem.

³⁸ And kyng Demetrie ordeynede to hym the hiyeste presthod;

³⁹ bi this he made him his frend, and glorifiede hym in greet glorie.

⁴⁰ For he herde, that Jewis weren clepid of Romayns frendis, and felowis, and britheren, and that thei resseyueden legatis of Symount gloriousli;

⁴¹ and that Jewis, and prestis of hem, consentiden, him for to be her duyk, and hiyeste preest with outen ende, til ther rise a feithful profete;

⁴² and that he be duyk on hem, and cure were to him for hooli thingis; and that he schulde ordeyne gouernouris on the werkis of hem, and on the cuntre, and on armeris, and on strengthis;

⁴³ and cure be to hym of hooli thingis; and that he be herd of men, and alle writyngis in the cuntre be writun togidere vndur name of hym; and that he be keuered with purpur and gold;

⁴⁴ and that it be not leueful to ony of the puple, and to prestis, for to make ony thing of these voide, and ayenseie to these thingis that ben seid of hym, ether for to clepe togidere couent in the cuntre with outen hym; and for to be clothid in purpur, and for to vse a goldun lace, `ether noche.

⁴⁵ Sotheli he that schal do with out this, ether schal make voide ony of these, schal be gilti.

⁴⁶ And it pleside togidere to al the puple, for to ordeyne Symount, and do bi these wordis.

⁴⁷ And Symount resseyuede, and it pleside hym, that he schulde vse hiyeste preesthod, and be duyk and prince of the folc of Jewis, and prestis, and be souereyn of alle men.

⁴⁸ And thei ordeyneden for to put this writyng in brasun tablis, and put hem in the wal aboute the cumpassyng of hooli thingis, in solempne place;

⁴⁹ forsothe for to putte ensaumple of these in the tresorie, that Symount haue and hise sones.

¹ And kyng Antiok, the sone of Demetrie, sente epistlis fro ilis of the see to Symount, prest, and prince of folc of Jewis, and to al the folc;

² and tho weren conteynynge this maner. Kyng Antiok to Symount, greet prest, and to the folc of Jewis, helthe.

³ For summen berynge pestilence weldiden the rewme of oure fadris, forsothe Y wole calenge the rewme, and restore it, as it was bifore; Y made a chosun multitude of oost, and Y made schippis of werre.

⁴ Forsothe Y wole go forth bi cuntrees, that Y do veniaunce on hem that distrieden oure cuntre, and that maden many citees desolat in my rewme.

⁵ Now therfor Y ordeyne to thee alle offryngis, that kyngis bifore me foryauen to thee, and `what euere other yiftis thei foryauen to thee;

⁶ and Y suffre thee for to make prynte of thin owne monei, in thi regioun.

⁷ Sotheli Y suffre Jerusalem for to be hooli and fre, and alle armeris that ben maad, and strengthis, that thou hast maad out, and that thou holdist, dwelle to thee;

⁸ and al dette of the kyng, and tho that ben to comynge of kingis thingis, fro this and in to al tyme ben foryouun to thee.

⁹ Sotheli whanne we schulen welde oure rewme, we schulen glorifie thee, and thi folc, and temple, with greet glorie, so that youre glorie be schewid in al erthe.

¹⁰ In the hundrid yeer and foure and seuentithe yeer Antiok wente out in to the lond of his fadris, and alle oostis camen togidere to hym, so that fewe weren left with Trifon.

¹¹ And king Antiok pursuede hym, and Trifon cam in to Doram, and fledde bi the see coost;

¹² for he wiste, that yuels weren gaderid on hym, and the oost forsook hym.

¹³ And Antiok appliede on Doram, with sixe score thousynde of fiytynge men, and eiyte thousynde of horse men;

¹⁴ and he cumpasside the citee, and schippis camen fro the see; and thei traueliden the citee bi lond and see, and suffriden no man for to entre, ether go out.

¹⁵ Forsothe Numenyus cam, and thei that weren with hym, fro Rome, and hadden epistlis writun to kingis and cuntreis, in whiche these thingis weren conteyned.

¹⁶ Lucius, `cheef gouernour of Romayns, to kyng Tolome, heelthe.

¹⁷ Messangeris of Jewis camen to vs, oure frendis, renulinge the formere frendschip and felouschip, sent of Symoun, prince of prestis, and puple of Jewis.

¹⁸ Sotheli thei brouyten also a goldun scheeld of a thousynde besauntis.

¹⁹ Therfor it pleside to vs for to write to kyngis and cuntreis, that thei do not yuels to hem, nether impugne hem, and her citees, and her cuntreis, and thei bere not help to men fiytynge ayens hem.

²⁰ Forsothe it is seyn to vs, for to resseyue of hem the scheeld.

²¹ Therfor if ony men of pestilence schulen fle fro the cuntre of hem to you, bitake ye hem to Symount, prince of prestis, that he do veniaunce on hem bi his lawe.

²² These same thingis ben writun to kyng Demetrie, and Attalus, and Arabas,

²³ and Arsaces, and in to alle cuntreis, and Sampsame, and Spartanyes, and Delo, and Mydo, and Sydone, and Carie, and Sanyum, and Pamfiliam, and Lisiam, and Alacarnasum, and Rodum, and Phaselida, and Choo, and Sidon, and Arodo, and Gortynam, and Gnydum, and Cipre, and Cirenen.

²⁴ Forsothe thei han writun ensaumple of these to Symount, prince of prestis, and to the puple of Jewis.

²⁵ Forsothe Antiok, the kyng, appliede tentis in Doram the secounde tyme, mouynge to it `euere more hondis, and makynge engynes; and he closide togidere Trifon, lest he wente out.

²⁶ And Symount sente to hym twei thousynde of chosun men, in to help, and siluer, and gold, and plenteuouse vessels;

²⁷ and he wolde not take tho. But he brak alle thingis that he couenauntide with hym bifore, and alienyde him silf fro hym.

²⁸ And he sente to hym Athenobius, oon of his frendis, for to trete with hym, and seide, Ye holden Joppe, and Gasaram, and the hiy tour that is in Jerusalem, citees of my rewme;

²⁹ ye han wastid the coostis of hem, and han do greet distriyng in the lond, and with out coostis of Judee ye ben lordis bi many places in my rewme.

³⁰ Now therfor yyue ye the citees, which ye ocupieden, and tributis of places, of whiche ye ben lordis, out of endis of Judee.

³¹ Ether ellis yyue ye for hem fyue hundrid talentis of siluer, and of distriyng that ye han distried, and of tributis of citees, othere fyue hundrid talentis; ether ellis we schulen come, and ouercome you.

³² And Athenobius, frend of the kyng, cam in to Jerusalem, and siy the glorie of Symount, and clerenesse, in gold, and siluer, and plenteuouse apparel, and was astonyed; and telde to him the wordis of the kyng.

³³ And Symount answeride, and seide to hym, Nether we token alien lond, nether withholden other mennus thingis, but eritage of oure fadris, that was weldid some time vniustly of oure enemies.

³⁴ Sotheli we han tyme, and calengen the eritage of oure fadris.

³⁵ For whi of Joppe and Gasara that thou axist, thei diden greet veniaunce in oure puple, and cuntree; of these we yyuen an hundrid talentis.

³⁶ And Athenobius answeride not a word. Sotheli he turnede ayen with wraththe to the kyng, and telde ayen to hym these wordis, and the glorie of Symount, and alle thingis that he siy. And the king was wroth with greet wraththe.

³⁷ Forsothe Trifon flei bi schip `in to Ortosaida.

³⁸ And the kyng ordeynede Cendebeus, duyk of the see coost, and yaf to him oost of foot men and horse men;

³⁹ and comaundide him for to moue tentis ayens the face of Judee; and comaundide hym for to bilde Cedron, and stoppe the yatis of the cite, and ouercome the puple; forsothe the kyng pursuede Trifon.

⁴⁰ And Cendebius cam to Jamnyam, and bigan for to terre the puple to wraththe, and for to defoule Judee, and make the puple caitif, and sle, and bilde Cedron.

⁴¹ And he settide there horse men and oost, that thei schulden gon out, and schulden walke bi weie of Judee, as the kyng ordeynede to hym.

¹ And Joon stiede fro Gasara, and telde to Symount, his fader, what thingis Cendebius dide in the puple of hem.

² And Symount clepide his tweyne eldere sones, Judas and Joon, and seide to hem, Y, and my britheren, and the hous of my fadir, han ouercomun the enemyes of Israel, fro yongthe til in to this dai; and it hadde prosperite in oure hondis, for to delyuere Israel sum times.

³ Forsothe now Y haue eldid, but be ye in my stide, and of my brother, and go ye out, and fiyte for oure folc; forsothe helpe of heuene be with you.

⁴ And he chees of the cuntrei twenti thousynde of fiytinge men, and horse men; and thei wenten out to Cendebeus, and slepten in Modyn.

⁵ And thei risiden eerli, and wenten in to the feeld, and lo! a copiouse oost cam in to metyng of hem, of foot men and horse men; and a rennynge flood was bitwixe the myddis of hem.

⁶ And he and his puple mouede the scheltruns ayens the face of hem, and he siy the puple tremblynge to passe ouer the streeme of water, and he passide ouer the firste; and men siyen hym, and passiden aftir hym.

⁷ And he departide the puple and horse men in the myddil of foot men; forsothe the multitude of horse men of aduersaries was ful plenteuouse.

⁸ And thei crieden an hiy with hooli trumpis; and Cendebeus was turned in to fliyt, and his oost, and many of hem fellen woundid; sotheli the residues fledden in to strengthe.

⁹ Thanne Judas, the brother of Joon, was woundid; forsothe Joon pursuede hem, til Cendebeus cam to Cedrona, which he bildide.

¹⁰ And thei fledden til to touris, that weren in the feeldis of Azotus, and he brente hem with fier; and ther fellen of hem two thousynde of men, and he turnede ayen in to Judee in pees.

¹¹ And Tolome, the sone of Abobi, was ordeyned duyk in the feld of Jerico, and hadde myche siluer and gold;

¹² for he weddid the douyter of the hiyeste preest.

¹³ And the herte of hym was reisid, and he wolde welde the cuntre; and he thouyte gile ayens Symount and his sones, for to do awei hem.

¹⁴ Forsothe Symount walkide bi citees that weren in the cuntre of Judee, and bar bisynesse of hem, and cam doun in to Jerico, he, and Matatias, his sone, and Judas, in the hundrid yeer and seuene and seuentithe, in the enleuenthe monethe; this is the monethe Sabath.

¹⁵ And the sone of Abobi resseyuede him in to a litil strengthe, that is clepid Doth, with gile, which he bildide; and made to hem a greet feeste, and hidde men ther.

¹⁶ And whanne Symount was ful of drynk, and hise sones, Tolome roos with his, and token her armeris, and entriden in to the feeste, and slowen hym, and hise twei sones, and summe children of hym.

¹⁷ And he dide a greet disseit in Israel, and yeldide yuels for goodis.

¹⁸ And Tolome wroot these thingis, and sente to the kyng, for to sende to hym an oost in to help, and he schulde bitake to hym the cuntre and citees of hem, and tributis.

¹⁹ And he sente othere in to Gasara, for to do awei Joon; and to the tribunes he sente epistlis, that thei schulden come to hym, and he schulde yyue to hem siluer, and gold, and yiftis.

²⁰ And he sente other men, for to ocupie Jerusalem, and the mount of the temple.

²¹ And sum man ran bifore, and told to Joon in Gasara, for that his fadir perischide, and his britheren, and that he sente that thou also be slayn.

²² Forsothe as he herde, he wondride greetli; and he cauyte the men that camen for to leese hym, and he slow hem; for he knew, that thei souyten for to leese hym.

²³ And othere thingis of Joons wordis, and of his batels, and good vertues, in whiche he dide strongli, and of bildyng of wallis, whiche he fulli made, and of thingis don of him, lo!

²⁴ these ben writun in book of daies of his presthod, sithen he was maad prince of prestis aftir his fadir.

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