A   After that Alexander the sonne of Philippe, kynge of Macedonia wente forth of the lande of Cethim, and slew Darius kynge of the Persi&abar;s and Medes: It happened, that he toke great warres in h&abar;de wanne very many stronge cytyes, and slew many kynges of the earth: going thorowe to the endes of the worlde, and gettyng many spoyles of the people: In so muche, that the worlde stode in great awe of hym, ∧ therfore was he proude in hys hert. Now whan he had gathered a mightye strong hoost, ∧ subdued the landes and people with theyr princes, so that they became tributaryes vnto hym: he fel sicke. And wh&ebar; he perceyued that he muste nedes dye, he called for hys noble estates (which had ben brought vp with him of children) ∧ parted his kingdome amonge them, whyle he was yet alyue. ^noteSo Alex&abar;der raygned .xij. yeare, and then dyed.

After hys death fell the kyngedome vnto hys princes, ∧ they optayned it euery one in hys rowme, ∧ caused them selfes to be crouned as kynges: and so dyd their chyldren after them many yeares, and muche wickednesse increaced in the worlde. Out of these came the vngracious rote, ^note noble Antiochus the sonne of Antiochus the kyng (which had bene a pledge at Rome) and he raygned in the .C.xxxvij. yeare of the raygne of the Grekes.

B   In those dayes went there out of Israel wycked men, whiche moued muche people with their counsayll, saying: Let vs go and make a couenaunte with the Heathen, that are rounde about vs: for sence we departed from them, we haue had much sorow. So thys deuyce pleased them well, and certayn of the people toke vpon them for to go vnto the kyng, which gaue them lycence to do after the ordinaunce of the Heathen. Then set they vp an open schole (at Hierusalem) of the lawes of the Heathen, and were nomore circumcised: but forsoke the holy Testament, ∧ ioyned themselfes to the Heathen, and were cleane sulde to do mischiefe.

So when Antiochus beganne to be mighty in hys kyngdome, he wente aboute to optayne the lande of Egipte also, that he might haue the dominion of two realmes. Vpon this entred he into Egipte with a stronge hoost with charettes, Elephantes, horsm&ebar; ∧ a great numbre of shippes, and beganne too warre agaynst Ptolomy the kyng of Egipt. But Ptolomy was afrayed of him, and fled and many of his people were wounded too death. Thus Antiochus wanne many str&obar;g cytyes, and toke awaye great good out of þe; lande of Egipte.

C   And after that Antiochus had smytten Egipte, he turned agayne in the .C.xliij. yere ∧ went toward Israel: ∧ came vp to Hierusalem with a mighty people: and entred proudly into the Sanctuary, and toke awaye the golden aultare, the candelsticke and all the ornam&ebar;tes therof, the table of the shewbred the pouringe vessel, the chargers, the golden spones, the vaile, the crounes and gold&ebar; apparell of the temple, and brake doune all. He toke also the siluer ∧ golde, the precious Iewels and the secrete treasures that he fo&ubar;de. And when he had taken awaye altogether, caused a greate murther of men, and so fulfilled his malicious pryde, he departed into hys owne lande.

Thus there arose great heuinesse and misery in all the lande of Israel. The prynces ∧ the elders of the people mourned, the y&obar;ge men and the maydens were defiled, and the fayre beutye of women was chaunged: the brydegrome and the bryde toke th&ebar; to mourninge: the lande and those that dwelt therin, was moued: for all the house of Iacob was brought to confusion.

^noteAfter two yeares the kyng sent his chiefe treasurer vnto þe; cities of Iuda, D   which came to Hierusalem with a great multitude of people, speakinge peaceable wordes vnto theim but all was disceate: for wh&abar; they had geuen hym credence, he fel sodenly vpon the cytye, ∧ smote it sore, and destroied much people of Israell. And when he had spoyled the cytye, he set fyre on it, ^note castynge doune houses and walles on euery side. The women and theyr children toke they captiue, ^note ∧ led awaye their cattel. Then buylded they þe; castel of Dauid with a great and thicke wall, ∧ with mighty towres, and made it a strong holde for them. Beside all this they sette wicked people and vngodly men to kepe it, stoared it with weapens ∧ vytales: gathered the goodes of Hierusalem, and laied th&ebar; vp there: thus became it a theuysh castell.

And this was done to laye wayte for the people that wente into the Sanctuarye, and for the cruell destruccyon of Israel. Thus they shed innoc&ebar;t bloude on eueryside of the

Sanctuary, and defyled it: In so much that the citysyns were fayne to departe, and the cytye became an habytacyon of straungers, beynge desolate of her owne seede, for her owne natyues were fayne to leaue her. Her S&abar;ctuary was clene wasted, her holy dayes were turned into mournynge, her Sabbathes were had inderysyon, and her honoure brought to naught. ^noteLoke how great her glory was a fore, so greate was her confusyon, and her ioy turned into sorow.

E    ^noteAntiochus also the kynge sent out a commission vnto all hys kyngedome, that all the people should be one. Then they lefte euerye man hys lawe, and all the Heathen a greed to the c&obar;maundemente of kynge Antiochus: Yea manye of the Israelites consented there vnto, offrynge vnto Idols, and defylyng the Sabboth. So the kynge Antyochus sente his messaungers wyth hys commission vnto Ierusalem, and to al the cytyes of Iuda: that they shulde folowe the lawes of the Heathen and forbad ether burnteofferynge meatofferynge or peaceofferynge to be made in þe; temple of God, ∧ that there should no Sabboth nor hye feast day be kpte: but commaunded, that the Santuarye and the holye people of Israell shoulde be defyled.

He commaunded also that there should be sett vp other altares, temples ∧ Idoles, to offre vp swynes fleshe ∧ other vnclene beastes that men shoulde leaue their chyldren vncircumcysed, to defyle their soules with all maner of vnclenesse ∧ abhominacions: that they myght so forgett the lawe, ∧ chaunge all the holy ordinaunces of God: ∧ that whosoeuer wolde not do accordynge to the commaundement of king Antiochus, should suffer death. In lyke maner commaunded he thorowe out all his realme, and sette rulers ouer the people, for to compell them to do these thynges, commaundynge the cytyes of Iuda to do sacrifice vnto Idols.

Then wente the people vnto the heathen by heapes, forsoke the law of the Lorde, and c&obar;mitted much euell in the land. yea and chaced out the secrete Israelites, which had hyd them selues in corners and preuye places.
F   The .xv. daye of the moneth Casleu, in the Cxlv. yeare, sette kynge Antiochus an abhominable Idoll of desolation vpon the altare of God, and they buylded altares thorowe oute all the cytyes of Iuda on euerye syde, before the dores of the houses, and in the stretes: where they brent incense, and dyd sacryfyce. ^noteAnd as for the bokes of the lawe of God, they brente them in the fyre, and rente them in peces. What so euer he was that had a boke of the testament of the Lord, fo&ubar;d by hym, yea whosoeuer endeuoured hymself to kepe the lawe of the Lorde, the kynges commaundemente was, that they should put hym to death. And thorow his auctority they executed these thynges euerye moneth, vpon the people of Israell that were founde in the cytyes.

G    ^noteThe fiue and twentye daie of the moneth what tyme as they dyd sacrifice vpon the altare (which stode in the steade of the altare of the Lorde, accordynge to the commaundement of kynge Antiochus, they put certayne wemen to deathe, whyche had caused theyr children to be circumcised: Not only that, but they hanged vp the chyldren by the neckes thorowe oute all their houses, and slewe the circumcisers of them,

Yet were there many of the people of Israell, whych determined in them selues, that they wolde not eate vncleane thynges: but chose rather to suffer death, then to be defiled wyth vncleane meates. So because they woulde not breake the blessed lawe of God, they were cruelly slaine. And this great tyranye increased verye sore vpon the people of Israell.

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