A    ^noteThis Symon now (of whom we spake afore) beynge a bewrayer of the money and of his owne naturall countre, reported the worst of Onias: as though he had moued Heliodorus vnto this, and as though he had bene a brynger vp of euell. Thus was he not ashamed to call him an enemie of þe; realme, that was so faithfull an ouerseer ∧ defender of the cite ∧ of his people: yee ∧ so feruent in the lawe of God. But when the malice of Symon increased so farre, þt; thorow his frendes there were certayne manslaughters c&obar;mitted: Onias considered the parell þt; might come thorow this strife, and how that Appollonius (namely the chefe lorde in Celosyria and Phenices) was all set vpon tyranny, and Symons malice increased the same: He gat him to the kynge, not as an accuser of the citesyns, but as one that by him self intended the comon wealth of the whole multitude. For he sawe it was not possible to lyue in peace, nether Symon to leaue of from his foolishnesse, excepte the kynge dyd loke therto.

B   But after the death of Seleucus, when Antiochus (which is called the noble) toke þe; kyngdome: Iason the brother of Onias laboured to be hye prest: For he came vnto the kynge, and promised him thre hundreth ∧ lx. talentes of syluer, ∧ of the other r&ebar;tes lxxx. talentes. Besydes this he promised him yet an C. ∧ L, yf he might haue þe; scole of þe; children, and that he might call them of Ierusalem Antiochians. Which when the kynge had graunted, ∧ he had gotten the superiorite: he beg&abar;ne immediatly to drawe his kinsmen to the custome of the Heithen, put downe the thinges, that the Iewes had set vp of loue, by Ihon the father of Eupolemius (which was sent embassitoure vnto Rome, for to make the bonde of frendshipe and loue.) He put downe all the Iawes ∧ Lyberties of the Iewes, and set vp wicked statutes. He durst make a fightinge scole vnder þe; castell, and set fayre yonge men to lerne the maners of whores and brodels.

C   This was now the begynnynge of the Heithenish ∧ straunge c&obar;uersacion, brought in thorow the vngracious and vnherde wickednesse of Iason (which shulde not be called a prest, but an vngodly personne.) In so moch, that the prestes were now nomore occupide aboute the seruyce of the aulter, but despysed the temple, regarded not the offrynges: yee gaue their dilig&ebar;ce to lerne to fight, to wristle, to leape, to daunce, ∧ to put at þe; stone: not settynge by þe; hono&highr; of þe; fathers, but liked þe; glory of the Grekes best of all: for the which they stroue perlously, and were gredy to folowe their statutes, yee their lust was in all thinges to be like th&ebar;, which afore were their enemies ∧ destroyers. Howbeit to do wickedly agaynst þe; lawe of God, shal not escape vnpunyshed: but of this we shal speake here after.

D   What tyme as the ^note Olympiades sportes were played at Tyrus (the kynge him selfe beinge presente) this vngracious Iason sent wicked men, bearinge from them of Ierusalem (which now were called Antiochians) iij.C. drachmas of syluer for an offerynge to Hercules. These had they that caried them, desyred vnder soch a fashi&obar;, as though they shulde not haue bene offred, but bestowed to other vses. Neuertheles he that sent them, sent them to the intent that they shulde be offred vnto Hercules. But because of those that were present, they were geuen as to the makynge of shippes. And Appollonius the sonne of Nesteus was sent in to Egipte, because of the noble men of kynge Ptolomy Philometor. Now when Antiochus perceaued þt; he was put out from medlinge in the realme, he sought his owne profit, departed from thence, came to Ioppa, ∧ then to Ierusalem: where he was honorably receaued of Iason ∧ the cite, ∧ was brought in &wt; torche light and with greate prayse: and so he turned his hoost vnto Phenices.

E    ^noteAfter iij. yeare Iason sent Menelaus (the fore sayde Symons brother) to beare the money vnto þe; kynge, ∧ to bringe him answere of other necessary matters. But he (when he was praysed of þe; kynge for magnifienge of his power) turned þe; hye presthode vnto him self, layenge vp iij.C. tal&ebar;tes of syluer for Iason. So wh&ebar; he had gotten c&obar;maundem&ebar;tes from þe; kynge, he came, hauinge nothinge þt; bec&obar;meth a prest, but bearinge þe; stomack of a cruell tyraunte, ∧ the wrath of a wylde brute beest. ^noteThen Iason (which had disceaued his owne brother) seynge þt; he him self was begyled also, was fayne to fle in to þe; l&obar;de of þe; Ammonites, ∧ Menelaus gat þe; domini&obar;. But as for þe; moneye þt; he had promised vnto the kynge, he dyd nothinge therin, when Sostratus the ruler of þe; castell requyred it of him. (For Sostratus was the man, þt; gathered þe; customes) wherfore they were both called before the kynge. Thus was Menelaus put out of þe; presthode, ∧ Lysimachus his brother came in his steade. Sostratus also was made lorde of the Cyprians.

F   It happened in þe; meane season, þt; þe; Tharsians ∧ Mallocians made insurreci&obar;, because they were geuen for a present vnto kynge Antiochus concubyne. Then came þe; kinge in all þe; haist, to still them agayne and to pacifie the matter, leauynge Andronicus there to be his debyte, as one mete therfore. Now Menelaus supposinge that he had gotten a right convenient tyme, stole certayne vessels of golde out of the temple, and gaue th&ebar; to Andronicus for a present: and some he solde at Tyrus and in the cities therby.

Which when Onias knewe of a suertye, he reproued him: but he kepte him in a sanctuary besyde Daphnis, that lyeth by Antioche. Wherfore Menelaus gat him to Andronicus, and prayed him that he wolde slaye Onias. So when he came to Onias, he counceled him craftely to come out of the santuary, geuynge him his honde with an ooth (how be it he suspecte him) and th&ebar; he slewe Onias, without eny regarde of rightuousnesse. For the which cause not only the Iewes, but other nacions also toke indignacion, and were displeased for the vnrightuous death of so godly a man.

G   And when the kynge was come agayne from Cilicia, the Iewes and certaine of the Grekes wente vnto him, complayninge for the vnrightuous death of Onias. Yee Antiochus himself also was sory in his mynde for Onias, so þt; it pitied him, and he wepte, remembringe his sobernesse and manerly behauoure. Wherfore he was so kyndled in his mynde, þt; he c&obar;maunded Andronicus to be striped out of his purple clothinge, ∧ so to be led thorow out all the cite, yee and þe; vngracious man to be slayne in þe; same place, where he committed his wickednes vpon Onias Thus þe; LORDE rewarded him his punyshment, as he had deserued. Now when Lysimachus had done many wycked dedes in þe; temple thorow the councell of Menelaus, and the voyce came abrode: the multitude gathered th&ebar; together agaynst Lisimachus, for he had caried out now moch golde.

So when the people arose and were full of displeasure, Lisimachus armed iij.M. vnthriftes to defende him: a certayne tyraunte beynge their captayne, which was growen both in age ∧ woodnesse. But when the people vnderstode the purpose of Lysimachus, some gat stones, some good stronge clubbes, ∧ some cast a&esset;shes vpon Lisimachus. Thus there were many of th&ebar; wounded, some beynge slayne, ∧ all the other chaced awaye. But as for þt; wicked churchrobber himself, they kylled him besyde the treasury. Of these matters therfore there was kepte a courte agaynst Menelaus.

H   Now when þe; kinge came to Tyrus, they made a c&obar;playnte vnto him of Menelaus, concerninge this busynesse, ∧ þe; embassitours were thre. But Menelaus wente ∧ promised Ptolomy to geue him moch money, yf he wolde persuade the kynge. So Ptolomy w&ebar;te to the kinge in to a courte (where as he was set to coole him) ∧ brughte him out of þt; mynde In so moch þt; he discharged Menelaus fr&obar; þe; accusacions, þt; not withstondinge was cause of all myschefe: and those poore men (which yf they had tolde their cause, yee before the Scythians, they shulde haue be iudged innoc&ebar;t) th&ebar; he c&obar;d&ebar;ned to death. Thus were they soone punyshed, which folowed vp&obar; þe; matter for þe; cite, for þe; people, ∧ for þe; holy vessell. Wherfore they of Tyrus toke indignacion, ∧ buried th&ebar; honorably. And so thorow þe; covetousnesse of them that were in power, Menelaus remayned still in authorite, increasinge in malyce, to the hurte of the citesyns.

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