1   And the kyng Antiochus, sone of Demetrie, sente epistlis fro ijlys of the see, to Symont, prest, and prince of folc of Jewis, and to al the folc; 2   and thei weren conteynynge this manere. Kyng Antiochus to Symont, the grete prest, and to folc of Jewis, helth. 3   For sothli men berynge pestilence weeldiden the rewme of oure faders, forsothe Y wole

venge the rewme, and restore it, as it was byfore; Y made the chosen multitude of oost, and made shippus of werre. 4   Forsothe Y wole go forth by cuntrees, that Y do veniaunce in to hem that distruyede oure cuntree, and that maden many citees desolate in my rewme. 5   Now therfore Y ordeyne to thee alle offringus, that alle kyngus byfore me for&yogh;auen to thee, and what euer other &yogh;iftis thei for&yogh;auen to thee; 6   and Y suffre thee for to make smytyng, or printe, of thin own money, in thi regyoun; 7   sothely Jerusalem for to be holy and free, and alle armers that ben maad, and strengthis, that thou hast maad out, and that thou holdist, dwelle to thee; 8   and al dett of the kyng, and tho that ben to cummynge of kyngus thingis, fro this in to al tyme ben for&yogh;ouen to thee. 9   Sothely whanne we shuln weelde oure rewme, we shuln glorifie thee, and thi folc, and temple, with grete glorie, so that &yogh;oure glorie be shewid in al erthe. 10   In the hundrid &yogh;eer and foure and seuentithe Antiochus wente out in to the lond of his fadris, and alle oostis camen to gydre to hym, so that fewe weren left with Trifon. 11   And kyng Antiochus pursuede hym, and he came to Doram, flee&yogh;inge by the se coost; 12   forsothe he wist, that yuels weren gadrid in to hym, and the oost forsoken hym. 13   And Antiochus appliede on Doram, with an hundrid and twenti thousand of fi&yogh;tyng men, and ei&yogh;te thousand of horsmen; and he cumpaside the citee, 14   and shippus fro the se camen to; and thei traueiliden the cite fro lond and se, and suffreden no man for to entre, or go out. 15   Forsothe Numenyus came, and thei that weren with hym, fro Rome, hauynge epistlis wryten to kyngis and cuntrees, in whiche these thingus weren conteyned. 16   Lucius, consul of Romayns, to kyng Ptholome,

helthe. 17   Legatis of Jewis camen to vs, oure freendis, renulynge the former frenship and felawship, sent of Symont, prince of prestis, and of the peple of Jewis. 18   Sotheli thei brou&yogh;ten to and a golden sheeld of a thousand besauntis. 19   And so it pleside to vs for to wryte to kyngis and cuntrees, that thei do not yuels to hem, nether enpungne hem, and her cytees, and her cuntrees, and that thei bere not help to men fi&yogh;tynge a&yogh;einus hem. 20   Forsothe it is seen to vs, for to resceyue of hem the sheeld. 21   Therfore &yogh;if any men of pestilence shuln flee fro the cuntree of hem to &yogh;ou, bytake &yogh;e hem to Symont, prince of prestis, that he venge in to hem after his lawe. 22   These same thingus ben wryten to kyng Demetrie, and Attalus, and Araba, and Arsaces, 23   and in to alle cuntrees, and Sampsame, and Spartanyes, and Delo, and Myde, and Synone, and Carie, and Samyum, and Pamphiliam, and Lysiam, and Alacarnasum, and Rodum, and Phaselida, and Reo, and Sydon, and Arado, and Gortynam, and Gnydum, and Cypre, and Cyrenen. 24   Forsothe ensaumple of these thei han wryten to Symont, prince of prestis, and to peple of Jewis. 25   Forsothe Antiochus appliede tentus in Doram the secounde tyme, mouynge to it euermore hondis, and makyng engynes; and he closide to gidre Trifon, lest he wente out. 26   And Symont sente to hym two thousand of chosen men, in to help, and syluer, and gold, and plenteuouse vessels; and he wolde not take. 27   Bot he brake alle thingus that he couenantide with hym byfore, and alyenyde hym self fro hym. 28   And he sente to hym Athenobius, oon of his freendis, for to treete with hym, sayynge, &YOGH;e holden Joppen and Gazaram, and the hee&yogh; rocke that is in Jerusalem, cytees of my rewme; 29   the coostis of hem &yogh;e han waastid, and han

don a grete veniaunce in the lond, and &yogh;e lordshipen by many places in my rewme. 30   Nowe therfore &yogh;eue &yogh;e the citees, whom &yogh;e occupieden, and tributis of places, `to whom &yogh;e lordshipen, out of the eendis of Judee. 31   Or ellis &yogh;eue &yogh;e for hem fyfty talentis of syluer, and of distruyyng that &yogh;e han distruyed, and of tributis of citees, other fifty talentis; or ellis we schuln cumme, and ouercumme &yogh;ou. 32   And Athenobyus, frend of the kyng, came in to Jerusalem, and see&yogh; the glorye of Symont, and cleernesse, in gold, and syluer, and plenteuouse apareil, and was astonyed; and he tolde to hym wordis of the kyng. 33   And Symont answerde, and seide to hym, Nether we token alyen londis, nether with holden other mens thingus, bot eritage of oure fadris, that was weeldid sum tyme vniustly of oure enmyes. 34   Sothely we hauynge tyme chalengen the heritage of oure fadris. 35   For why of Joppe and Gazara that thou axist, thei diden grete veniaunce in the peple, and in oure cuntree; of these we &yogh;euen an hundrid talentis. 36   And Athenobyus answerde not a word. Sothely he, turned a&yogh;ein with wrath to the kyng, tolde a&yogh;ein to hym these wordis, and the glorie of Symont, and alle thingus that he see&yogh;. And the kyng was wrothe with grete wrath. 37   Forsothe Trifon flei&yogh; by ship in to Ortosayda. 38   And the kyng ordeynyde Cendebeus, duyk of the se coost, and &yogh;aue to hym oost of fotmen and horsmen; 39   and comaundide hym for to moue tentis a&yogh;einus the face of Judee. And he comaundide hym for to bilde Cedron, and to stoppe &yogh;atis of the citee, and ouercumme the peple; forsothe the kyng pursuede Trifon. 40   And Cendebeus came to Jamniam, and bigan for to terre the peple to wrath, and for to defoule Judee, and to make the peple caityf, and slea,

and to beelde Cedron. 41   And he sette there horsmen and oost, that thei gon out shulden walke by the waye of Judee, as the kyng ordeynyde hym.

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