1   Bvt after the space of three yeares Iudas vnderstood, and they that were with him, that Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus with a strong multitude, and with shippes was come vp by the port of Tripolis to commodious places,

2   and held the countries against Antiochus, and his gouernor Lysias.

3   And one ^note Alcimus that had bene highpriest, but voluntarily was

contaminated in the time of the confusion, considering that there was saftie for him by no means, nor accesse to the altar,

4   came to king Demetrius in the yeare an hundred fiftie, offering him a crowne of gold, & a palme, & besides these, ^note Talloes, which seemed to be of the temple. And that same day in deede he held his peace.

5   But hauing gotten a commodious time for his madnes, being called of Demetrius to counsel, and asked on what thing and counsels the Iewes rested, he answered:

6   They of the Iewes that are called ^note Assidians, of whom Iudas Machabeus is captaine, nourish battels, and moue seditions, neither doe they suffer the realme to be quiet.

7   For I also being defrawded of my ancestours glorie (I meane of the high priesthood) am come hither:

8   principally in deede keping fidelitie to the kings commodities, but secondly also prouiding for my citizens, forby their naughtines al our stocke is not a little vexed.

9   But al these thinges being knowen, ô king, prouide I pray thee, both for the countrie, & for our stocke according to thy humanitie published to al men.

10   For as long as Iudas is aliue, it is vnpossible that there be peace to the affayres.

11   And such thinges being sayd of him, the other freinds also behauing themselues as enemies against Iudas, incensed Demetrius. ^note

12   Who forth with sent Nicanor, chiefe ouer the elephants captaine into Iurie:

13   geuing him commission, that he should take Iudas himselfe: but them that were with him, he should disperse, & make Alcimus the high priest of the greatest temple. ^note

14   Then the nations, which had fled from Iudas out of Iurie, ioyned them selues by troupes with Nicanor, ^note esteming the miseries, and calamities of the Iewes the prosperities of their owne affayres.

15   The Iewes therfore hauing heard of Nicanors coming, & the assemblie of the nations, being sprinkled with earth besought him, that ordayned his people to kepe them for euer, and that protecteth his portion by euident signes.

16   And the captaine commanding forthwith they remoued from thence, and they came together to the castel of Dessau.

17   And Simon the brother of Iudas had ioyned battel with Nicanor: but he was made afrayd with the sodaine coming of the aduersaries.

18   Neuertheles Nicanor hearing the manlines of Iudas companions, and greatnes of courege, that they had for the conflicts of their countrie, was afrayde to make tryall by bloud.

19   Wherfore he sent Posidonius, and Theodotius, & Mathias before to geue and take the right handes.

20   And

when there was long cousultation of these thinges, and the captaine himself had moued it to the multitude, there was one sentence of them al to accord vnto amitie.

21   Therfore they appointed a day, wherin they might secretly deale among them selues, and seates were brought forth and sette for euery one.

22   But Iudas commanded armed men to be in places conuenient, lest perhaps some mischefe might sodainly arise from the enemies: & they made agreable communication.

23   Nicanor abode at Ierusalem, and did nothing vniustly, and the flockes of the multitudes, that had bene gathered together he diminished.

24   And he esteemed Iudas alwayes deare from the hart, and he was inclined to the man.

25   And he desired him to marrie a wife, and to beget children. He made a marriage, he liued quietly, and they liued in common.

26   But Alcimus seeing their charitie one towardes an other, and the couenantes, came to Demetrius, and sayd that Nicanor assented to forraine matters, and that he ment to make Iudas being a traytour to the kingdom, his successour.

27   Therfore the king being exasperated with this mans most wicked criminations, wrote to Nicanor, saying, that he in deede was greatly displeased for the couenant of their amitie: neuertheles that he commanded him to send Machabeus quickly prisoner to Antioch.

28   Which thinges being knowen Nicanor was amased, and tooke it greuously, if he should vndoe those thinges which they had couenanted, being nothing hurt of the man.

29   But ^note because he could not resist the king, he obserued oportunitie wherby to accomplish the commandement.

30   But Machabeus seeing that Nicanor dealt with him more austerely, and that he exhibited his accustomed meeting more sternely, vnderstanding this austeritie not to be of good, a few of his companie gathered together, he hid him self from Nicanor.

31   Which when he vnderstood that he was stoutly preuented of the man, he came to the most great & most holie temple: and the priestes offering the accustomed hostes, he commanded the man to be deliuered vnto him.

32   Who ^note saying with an oath, that they knew not where he was, that was demanded, stretching out his hand to the temple,

33   he sware, saying: Vnles you wil deliuer Iudas prisoner vnto me, I wil beate downe this temple of God to the flat ground, and wil digge downe the altar, and this temple I wil consecrate to ^note Liber pater.

34   And when he had sayd these thinges, he departed.

But the priestes stretching forth their hands vnto heauen, inuocated him that was alwayes the defender of their nation, saying thus:

35   Thou ô Lord of al, which lackest nothing, wouldest a temple of thy habitation to be made amongst vs.

36   And now ô Lord holie of al holies, preserue for euer this house impolluted, which of late hath bene clensed.

37   And Razias one of the ancients of Ierusalem, was accused to Nicanor, a man that was a louer of the citie, and wel reported of, who for his affection was called father of the Iewes.

38   This man long time kept the purpose of continencie in Iudaisme, and content to geue his bodie and life for perseuerance.

39   But Nicanor willing to manifest the hatred that he had against the Iewes, sent fiue hundred souldiars to take him.

40   for he thought if he had intrapped him, that he should doe the Iewes verie great hurt.

41   But the multitudes coueting to rush into his house, and to breake open the gate, & to set fyre therto, when he was in taking, ^note he strooke himselfe with a sword:

42   choosing to dye nobly rather then to be made subiect to sinners, and against his noble birth to suffer vnworthie iniuries.

43   But wheras for hast he had not made the wound with a sure stroke, and the multitudes brake in within the dores, running backe boldly to the wal, he threwe downe him selfe manfully headlong vnto the multitudes:

44   who quickly geuing place to his fal he fel vpon his necke.

45   And when he had breathed, incensed in minde he arose: and when his blood ranne with a great streame, & he was wounded with most greuous wounds, running he passed through the multitude:

46   and standing vpon a certaine steepe rocke, & now being become without bloud, gryping his bowels, with both handes he cast them vpon multitudes, inuocating the dominatour of life and spirit, that he would restore these to him againe: & so he departed this life. ^note

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