1   Bvt not long after the king sent a certaine ancient man of Antioch, that should compel the Iewes to remoue them selues from the lawes of their fathers and of God:

2   to contaminate also the temple that was in Ierusalem, and to cal it by the name of Iupiter Olympius: and in ^note Garizim, according as they were that inhabited the place, of Iupiter Hospitalis.

3   And the inuasion of the euiles was sore and grieucus to al:

4   for the temple was ful of the lecherie and glottonie of the Gentiles: & of them that played the harlots with whoores. And wemen thrusting themselues of their owne accord into the sacred houses, bringing in thouse thinges which were not lawful.

5   The altar also was ful of vnlawful thinges, which were forbidden by the lawes.

6   Aud neither were the Sabbaths kept, nor the soleme dayes of the fathers obserued neither plainely did anie man confesse him selfe to be a Iewe.

7   But they were led with bitter necessitie in the kings birth day to sacrifices: and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they were compelled to goe about crowned with Iuie vnto Bacchus.

8   And there went forth a decree into the next cities of the Gentiles, the Ptolomeans geuing the aduise, that they also in like manner should doe against the Iewes, that they might sacrifice:

9   and them that would not paste to the ordinances of the heathen, ^note they should kil. A man then might see the miserie.

10   For ^note two wemen were accused to haue circuncided their children: whom, the infantes hanging at their breasts, when they had openly led them about through the citie, they threwe downe headlong by the walles.

11   And others coming together to the next caues, & secretly ^note keping the day of the Sabbath, when

they were discouered to Philip, were burnt with fyre, because they feared for religion and obseruance, to helpe themselues with their hand.

12   But I beseech them that shal read this booke, ^note that they abhorre not for the aduersities, but that they account those thinges, which haue happened, not to be for the destruction, but for the chastening of our stocke.

13   For not to suffer sinners a long time to doe as they wil, but forthwith to punish, is a token of a great benefite.

14   For, not as in other nations our Lord patiently expecteth, that when the day of iudgement shal come, he may punish them in the fulnes of sinnes:

15   so also doth he determine in vs, that our sinnes being come to the end, so at length he may punish vs.

16   For which cause he neuer certes remoueth away his mercie from vs: but chastening his people by aduersitie, he forsaketh them not.

17   But let these thinges be sayd of vs in few wordes for an admonition of the readers. And now we must come to the storie.

18   Therefore ^note Eleazarus one ^note of the chief of the Scribes, a man striken in age, and comely of countenance, with open mouth gaping was compelled to eate swines flesh.

19   But he embracing rather a most glorious death then an hateful life, went before voluntarily to the punishment.

20   And considering how he ought to come patiently susteyning, he determined not to committe vnlawful thinges for loue of life.

21   But they that stood by, moued with vnlawful pitie, for the old frendshipe of the man, taking him in secrete, desired that flesh might be brought, which it was lawful for him to eate, that he ^note might feyne to haue eaten, as the king had commanded, of the flesh of the sacrifice:

22   that by this fact he might be deliuered from death: and for the old freindshipe of the man, they did him this courtesie.

23   But he begane to thinke vpon the worthie preeminence of his age and ancientnes, and the houre heares of natural nobilitie, & his doinges from a childe of very good conuersation, and according to the ordinances, and the holie law made of God, he answered quickly, saying: that he would rather ^note be sent vnto hel.

24   For it is not meete, quoth he, for our ^note age to feyne: that manie young men thinking, that Eleazarus of foure score yeare & tenne is passed to the life of Aliens:

25   they also through my dissimulation, and for a litle time of corruptible life, may be deceiued, and hereby I may purchase a stayne, and a curse to mine old age.

26   For

although at this present time I be deliuered from the punishments of men, yet neither aliue nor dead shal I escape the hand of the Almightie.

27   Wherfore in departing manfully out of this life, I shal appeare worthie of mine old age:

28   and to yong men I shal leaue a constant example, if with readie mind and stoutly I suffer an honest death, for the most graue and most holie lawes. These thinges being spoken, forthwith he was drawen to execution.

29   And they that led him, and had bene a litle before more milde, were turned into wrath for the wordes spoken of him, which they thought were vttered through arrogancie.

30   But when he was now in killing with the strokes, he groned, and sayd: O Lord, which hast the holie knowlege, thou knowest manifestly that wheras I might be deliuered from death, I doe susteyne sore paines of the bodie: but according to the soule, for thy feare I doe willingly suffer these thinges.

31   And this man certes in this maner departed this life, leauing not only to yong men, but also to the whole nation the memorie of his death for an example of vertue and fortitude.

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