1   Bvt Nichanor as he vnderstood that Iudas was in the places of Samaria, he purposed with al violence to ioyne batel ^note the day of the Sabbath.

2   But the Iewes that of necessitie folowed him, saying do not so searcely and barbarousely, but geue honour to the day of the sanctification, and honour him that beholdeth al thinges:

3   that vnhappie man asked, if there were a powre in heauen, that commanded the sabbath day to be kept.

4   And they answering: There is the liuing Lord himself in heauen, the potent, that commanded the seuenth day to be kept.

5   But he sayd: And ^note I am potent vpon the earth, that commanded armes to be taken, and the kings affayres to be accomplished. Neuertheles he obteyned not to accomplish his counsel.

6   And Nicanor in dede puffed vp with exceeding pride, had thought to haue set vp a common victorious memorie of Iudas.

7   But Machabeus alwayes trusted with al hope that there would come ayde from God to them.

8   And exhorted his companie, that they should not feare at the coming of the nations, but should haue in minde the aydes geuen vnto them from heauen, and now should hope that they should haue the victorie from the Almightie.

9   And speaking vnto them out of the law, and the Prophetes, admonishing them also of the conflictes, that they had made before, he made them the more prompt:

10   and so their hartes being encoreged, withal he shewed the fraude of the Gentils, and their breaking of oathes.

11   And he armed euerie one of them, not with sense of buckler and speare, but with very good words, & exhortations, ^note declaring a dreame worthy to be credited, wherby he reioyced them al.

12   And the vision was in this maner: Onias who had bene the highpriest, a good and benigne man, reuerent to behold, modest of maners, and comelie of speach, and who from a childe was exercised in vertues, that he stretching forth the handes09Q0327 prayed for al the people of the Iewes.

13   After this that there appeared also an other man meruelous for age, and glorie, and for the port of great dignitie about him.

14   And that Onias answering sayd. This is a louer of his bretheren, & of the people of Israel: this is he that09Q0328 prayeth much for the people, & for the whole citie, Ieremie the Prophete of God.

15   And that Ieremie put forth his righthand, and ^note gaue vnto Iudas a sword of gold, saying:

16   Take the holie sword a gift from God, wherwith thou shalt ouerthrow the aduersaries of my people Israel.

17   Being

exhorted therefore with the wordes of Iudas exceding good, by which the coreges might be stured vp, and the hartes of the youngmen streingthned, they resolued to fight, and to encounter manfully: that manhood might decide the matter, because the holie citie, and the temple were in danger.

18    ^noteFor there was lesse care for their wiues, and children, and also for their bretheren, and kinsemen: but the greatest and principal feare was for the holines of the temple.

19   And they also that were in the citie, tooke no litle care for them that were to ioyne battel.

20   And when they did al hope that iudgement would be geuen, and the enimies were present, and the armie was set in aray, the beastes & horsemen disposed in conuenient place,

21   Machabeus considering the coming of the multitude, and the varietie of the prouision of armour, and the fiercenes of the beastes, stretching forth his handes vnto heauen, he inuocated our Lord, that worketh wonders, who not according to the might of armes, but according as it pleaseth him, geueth victorie to the worthie.

22   And he sayd inuocating in this maner: Thou Lord which didst send thyne Angel in the time of Ezechias king of Iuda, and didst kil an hundred eightie fiue thousand of the campe of Sennacharib:

23   & now ô Dominatour of the heauens send thy good Angel before vs, in feare and trembling of the greatnes of thyne arme,

24   that they may be afrayde, which with blasphemie come against thyne holie people. And he in dede ended his prayer thus.

25   But Nicanor, and they that were with him, with trumpets & songues came nere.

26   But Iudas, and they that were with him, inuocating God by prayers ioyned battel:

27   with the hand in dede fighting, but in their hartes praying to our Lord, they ouerthrew no lesse then fiue and thirtie thousand, being greatly delighted with the presence of God.

28   And when they had ceased, and returned with ioy, they vnderstood that Nicanor was slaine, for al his armour.

29   A shout therfore being made, and a great crie, they blessed the Almightie Lord in their countrie language.

30   And Iudas, who by al meanes was in bodie and mind readie to dye for his citizens, commanded that Nicanors head, and hand with the shoulder being cut of, should be caried to Ierusalem.

31   Whither when he was come, hauing called his countrimen, and the Priestes to the altar, he sent also for them that were in the castel,

32   And shewing them the head of Nicanor, & the wicked hand, which he stretching forth against

holie house of almightie God, had mightely bragged.

33   The tongue also of impious Nicanor being cut out, he commanded to be geuen pecemeale to the birdes: and the hand of the furious man to be hanged vp against the temple.

34   Al therfore blessed the Lord of heauen, saying: Blessed be he, that hath kept his place vndefiled.

35   And he hung vp Nicanors head in the toppe of the castel, that it might be an euident, & manifest signe of the helpe of God.

36   Therfore al by common counsel decreed, by no meanes to let passe this day without solemnitie:

37   but to kepe the solemnitie the thirtenth day of the moneth Adar, which is called in the Syrian language, the day before Mardocheus day. ^note

38   These thinges therefore being done concerning Nicanor, & ^note from that time the citie being possessed of the Hebrewes, I also in these wil make an end of speaking.

39   And if wel, and as is competent for a storie that myself also would: but09Q0329 if not so worthely it resteth to be pardoned me.

40   For as to drinke alwayes wine, or alwayes water is hurtful, but to vse now one now an other is delectable: so to the readers, if the speach be alwayes exact, it wil not be gratful. Here therefore it shal be ended.

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