1   Bot a litil tyme after, Lisias, procuratour of the kyng, and ni&yogh;, and prepost of needis, beerynge greuously of these thingis that bifellen, 2   gadrid foure score thousandis, and al rydynge, or horsmen, came a&yogh;einus Jewis, demynge hym self to makynge the citee sothely taken a dwellyng to heithen men, 3   forsothe to hauynge the temple in to wynnynge of money, as other templis of heithen men, and by eche &yogh;eeris prestehode vendible, or able to be soold; 4   not bythenkynge the power of God, bot in mynde maad with outen bridil, tristide in multitude of fote men, and in thousandis of horsmen, and in foure score olyfauntis. 5   Sothely he gon in to Judee, and cummynge ni&yogh; to Bethsura, that was in a streit place, fro Jerusalem in space of fyue furlongis, fau&yogh;te a&yogh;einus that strengthe. 6   Sothely as Machabeus, and thei that weren with hym, knewe strengthis for to be a&yogh;einus fou&yogh;te, with weepyng and teeris preyeden the Lord, and al the cumpany to gidre, for to sende a good aungel to help of Yrael. 7   And he the first Machabeus, armers taken, monestide other for to take togidre perel with hym, and bere help to her bretheren. 8   And whan thei wenten forth togidre with redy inwitt fro Jerusalem, an horsman apeeride goynge byfore hem in whijt clothe,

and golden armers, florishynge a shaft. 9   Thanne alle to gidre blessiden the mercyful Lord, and woxen stronge in ynwittis, and redy for to perse not oonly men, bot and most feers beestis, and `yrun wallis. 10   Therfore thei wenten redy, hauynge of heuen an helper, and the Lord hauynge mercy on hem. 11   Sothely by custume of lyouns, in feersnesse thei hurlynge in to enmyes, castiden doun of hem elleuen thousand of fotemen, and of horsmen a thousand and sixe hundrid. 12   Sothely thei turnyden alle in to fli&yogh;t; forsothe many of hem woundid, ascapiden nakid, bot and he Lisias fouly fleeynge ascapide. 13   And for he was not witlesse, he rettynge with hym self the makyng lesse don a&yogh;einus hym, and vndirstoondynge the Ebrues for to be vnouercumen, enforsinge, or tristynge, to help of almi&yogh;ty God, 14   he sente to hem, and bihi&yogh;te hym to consentyng to alle thingus that ben iust, and to compellynge the kyng for to be maad freend. 15   Forsothe Machabeus grauntide to the preyers of Lisias, in alle thingis counseilynge to profit; and what euer thingis Machabeus wrote to Lisias of Jewis, the kyng grauntide hem. 16   For whi epistlis weren wryten to Jewis fro Lisias, sothely conteynynge this maner. Lisias to the peple of Jewis, helthe. 17   Joon and Abesalon, that ben sente fro &yogh;ou, bitakynge writtis, axiden, that Y fulfulle thoo thingis that weren signyfied by hem. 18   Therfore what euer thingis mi&yogh;ten be brou&yogh;te forth to the kyng, Y expounyde, and whiche the kyng suffride, Y grauntyde. 19   Therfore &yogh;if in needis &yogh;e shuln kepe feith, also hennus forth Y shal tempte for to be cause of good thingis to &yogh;ou. 20   Of other thingis sothely Y commaundide bi alle wordis, and to these and to hem that ben sente of me, for to speke to gidre with &yogh;ou. 21   Fare &yogh;e wel. In the hundrid &yogh;eer and ei&yogh;te and fourtithe, the foure and twentithe

day of the moneth Dyoscorus. 22   Forsothe the pistle of the kyng conteynyde these thingis. Kyng Antyochus to Lisias, brother, helthe. 23   Oure fadris translatid amonge goddis, we willynge hem that ben in oure rewme for to do with oute noyse, and for to &yogh;eue diligence to her thingis, 24   han herd Jewis not to haue assentid to the fadre, for to be translatid to the custum of Greekis, bot wille for to holde her ordynaunce, and therfore for to axe of vs, her lawful thingus for to be grauntid to hem. 25   Therefore we willynge and this folc for to be quyet, ordeynynge han demyd, the temple for to be restorid to hem, that thei shulden do after the custom of her gretter men. 26   Therfore thou shalt do wel, &yogh;if thou shalt sende to hem, and shalt &yogh;eue the ri&yogh;thond; that, oure wille knowen, thei be in good inwitt, and serue to her owne profitis. 27   Sothely to the Jewis the kyngis pistle was siche. Kyng Antiochus to the senate of Jewis, and to other Jewis, helthe. 28   &YOGH;if &yogh;ee faren welle, so it as we wolen, bot and we self faren wel. 29   Menelaus came to vs, sayinge, &yogh;ou for to wilne for to go doun to &yogh;oure, that ben anentis &yogh;ou. 30   To these therfore that dwellen to gidre, til the thrittith day of the moneth Sandici we &yogh;euen ri&yogh;thondis of sykyrnesse, 31   that Jewis vse metis, and her lawis, as and byfore; and no man `of hem eny more suffre disese of these thingus, that ben don by ignoraunce. 32   Sothely we senten and Menelaus, that shal speke to &yogh;ou. 33   Fare &yogh;e wel. In the hundrid &yogh;eer and ei&yogh;te and fourtithe, the fiftenthe of the moneth Sandici, also Romayns senten an epistle, 34    hauynge it thus. Quintus Menius and Titus Manylius, legatis of Romayns, to the peple of Jewis, helthe. 35   Of these thingis that Lisias, cosyn of the kyng, grauntide to &yogh;ou, and we grauntiden. 36   Forsothe

of whiche thingus he demyde to be tolde a&yogh;ein to the kyng, anoon sende &yogh;e sume man, diligentlyer spekyng amonge &yogh;ou, that we deme as it acordith to &yogh;ou. 37   Forsothe we gon to Antiochie, and therfore haste &yogh;e for to a&yogh;ein write, that and we wite of what wille &yogh;e ben. 38   Fare &yogh;e wel.

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