1   Ivdas heard also the fame of the Romanes, that they were mightie, and valiant, and agreeable to all thinges that were required of them, and made peace with all that came vnto them, ^note

2   And that they were men of great power, and they tolde him of their battels, and their worthie actes, which they did among the ^note Galatians whome they had conquered, and made to pay tribute,

3   And what they had done in the countrey of Spaine: how that they had wonne there the mines of siluer and golde,

4   And that by their counsell, and gentle behauiour they were rulers in euery place, though the place was farre from them, and that they had discomfited, and giuen great ouerthrowes to the Kings that came against them, from the vttermost parte of the earth, and that others gaue them tribute euery yeere,

5   Howe they had also discomfited by battell Philippe and Perses Kings of the ^note Macedonians, and others, that arose against them, and howe they ouer came them,

6   And howe great Antiochus King of Asia that came against th&ebar; in battel, hauing an h&ubar;dreth and twentie elephants, with horsemen, & charets, and a very great armie, was discomfited by them,

7   And howe they tooke him aliue, and ordeined him, with such as should reigne after him, to pay a great tribute, and to giue hostages, and a separate porcion,

8   Euen the countrey of India, and Media, and Lydia, and of his best countreys, which they tooke of him and gaue them to king Eumenes.

9   Againe when it was told them that the Grecians were comming to destroy them,

10   They sent against them a captaine, which gaue them battell, and slewe many of them, and tooke many prisoners with their wiues, and children, and spoyled them and conquered their land, & destroyed their strong holdes, and subdued them to be their bondmen, vnto this day:

11   Moreouer, howe they destroyed, & brought into subiection other kingdomes and yles, whosoeuer had withstand them:

12   But that they kept amitie with their owne friendes, and those that stayed vpon them: finally, that they conquered kingdomes, both farre and neere, insomuch that whosoeuer heard of their renowme, was afraide of them.

13   For whome they would helpe to their kingdomes, those reigned, & wh&obar; they would, they put downe thus were they in most high authoritie.

14   Yet for all this that none of them ware a crowne, neither was clothed in purple, to bee magnified thereby,

15   But that they had ordeyned them selues a counsell, wherein three hundreth and twentie men consulted dayly, and prouided for the common affaires, to gouerne them well,

16   And that they committed their gouernment to one man euery yere, who did rule ouer all their countrey, to whom euery man was obedient: and there was neither hatred nor enuie among them.

17   ¶2; Then Iudas chose Eupolemus the sonne of Iohn, the sonne of Accus, and Iason, the sonne of Eleazar, and sent them vnto Rome to make friendship, and mutuall felowship with them,

18   That they might take from them the yoke (for they sawe that the kingdome of the Grecians would keepe Israel in bondage)

19   So they went vnto Rome, which was a verie great iourney, and came into the ^note Senate, where they spake and said,

20   Iudas Maccabeus with his brethren, and the people of the Iewes hath sent vs vnto you, to make a bond of friendship, and peace with you, and yee to register vs as your partakers and friends.

21   And the matter pleased them.

22   And this is the copie of the epistle that they wrote in tables of brasse & sent to Ierusalem, that they might haue by them a memorial of the peace, and mutuall fellowship.

23   Good successe be to the Romanes, and to the people of the Iewes, by sea, & by land for euer, and the sword, and enemie be from them.

24   If there come first any warre vpon the Romaines, or any of their friends throughout all their dominion,

25   The people of the Iewes shall helpe them, as the time shalbe appointed, with all their heart,

26   Also ^note they shall giue nothing to them that come to fight for them, nor serue them with wheat nor weapons, nor money, nor shippes, as it pleaseth the Romaines, but ^note they shall keepe their couenants without taking any thing of them.

27   Likewise also if warre come first against the nation of the Iewes, the Romanes shall helpe them with a good will, according as the time shalbe appoynted them.

28   Neyther shall wheate be giuen vnto them, þt; take their part, nor weapons, nor money, nor ships, as it pleaseth the Romaines, who will keepe these couenants without deceit.

29   According to these articles the Romaines made the bond with the people of the Iewes.

30   If after these points the one partie, or the other will adde or diminish, they may doe it, at their pleasures, and whatsoeuer they shall adde, or take away, shalbe ratified.

31   And as touching the euill that Demetrius hath done vnto þe; Iewes, we haue written vnto him, saying, Wherefore layest thou thine heauy yoke vpon our friends, and confederates the Iewes?

32   If therfore they complayne any more against thee, we will doe them iustice, and fight with thee by sea and by land.

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