1   And it came to passe, ^note that seuen brethren together with their mother being apprehended, to be compelled by the king to eate against the law swines flesh, were tormented with whippes and scourges.

2   But one of them which was the first, sayd thus: What seekest thou, and what wilt thou lerne of vs? we are readie to dye rather then to transgresse the lawes of God, coming from our fathers. ^note

3   The king therfore being wrath commanded frying pannes, and brasen pottes to be heated:

4   the which forth with being heated, he commanded his tongue, that had spoken first, to be cut out: and the skinne of his head being drawen of, the endes also of his handes and feete to be chopped of, the rest of his bretheren, and his mother looking on.

5   And when he was now made in al partes vnprofitable, he commanded fire to be put vnto him, and that breathing as yet he should be fried in the frying panne: wherin when he was long tormented, the rest together with the mother exhorted one an other to dye manfully,

6   saying: Our

Lord God wil behold the truth, and wil take pleasure in vs, as Moyses declared in the profession of the Canticle: And in his seruants he wil take pleasure.

7   That first therfore being dead in this maner, they brought the next to make him a mocking stocke: & the skinne of his head with the heares being drawen of, they asked if he would eate, before that he were punished throughout the whole bodie in euerie member.

8   But he answering in his countrie speach, said: I wil not doe it. Wherfore this also in the next place, receiued the torments of the first:

9   and being at the verie last gaspe, thus he said: Thou in dede ô most wicked man in this present life destroyeth vs: but the king of the world wil raise vs vp which dye for his lawes, in the resurrection of eternal life.

10   After him the third is had in derision, and being demanded his tongue, he quickly put it forth, and constantly stretched out his handes:

11   and with confidence he said: From heauen doe I possesse these, but for the lawes of God now doe I contemne these selfe same, because I hope that I shal receiue them againe of him.

12   So that the king, and they that were with him merueled at the yong mans courege, because he estemed the torments as nothing.

13   And this being thus dead, the fourth they vexed in like maner tormenting him.

14   And when he was now euen to dye, thus he said: It is better for them that are put to death by men to exspect hope of God, that they shal be raysed vp againe by him. For to thee there shal not be resurrection vnto life.

15   And when they had brought the fifth, they tormented him. But he looking vpon him,

16   sayd: Thou hauing power among men, wheras thou art corruptible doest what thou wilt: but thinke not that our stock is forsaken of God.

17   And doe thou patiently abide, and thou shalt see his great power, in what sort he wil torment thee, and thy seede.

18   After him they brought the sixth, and he beginning to dye, sayd thus: Be not deceiued vainely: for we suffer this for our owne sakes, sinning against our God, and thinges worthie of admiration are done in vs:

19   but doe not thinke that thou shalt escape vnpunished, for that thou hast attempted to fight against God.

20   But the mother aboue measure meruelous, and worthie of good mens memorie, which beholding her seuen sonnes perishing in one dayes space, bare it with a good hart, for the hope that she had in God:

21   exhorted euerie one of them in their countrie language manfully, being replenished with wisedome: and

ioyning a mans hart to a womans cogitation,

22   she sayd to them: I know not how you appeared in my wombe: for neither did I geue you spirit and soule and life, and the members of euerie one I my selfe framed not.

23   But in deede the Creator of the world, that hath formed the natiuitie of man, and that inuented the origine of al, & he wil restore againe with mercie vnto you spirit and life, as now you despise your selues for his lawes.

24   But Antiochus thinking himselfe contemned, and withal despising the voice of the vpbrayder, when the yonger was yet aliue, he did not only exhort with wordes, but also with oth he affirmed that he would make him rich & happie, and being turned from the lawes of his fathers, he would account him a freind, and geue him thinges necessarie.

25   But when the yong man was not inclined to these thinges, the king called the mother, and counselled her to deale with the yong man to saue his life.

26   And when he had exhorted her in manie wordes, ^note she promised that she would counsel her sonne.

27   Therfore bending towards him, ^note mocking the cruel tyrant, she sayd in her countrie language: My sonne haue pitie on me, which haue borne thee in my wombe nine moneths, and gaue thee milke for three yeares, and nourished thee, and brought thee vnto this age.

28   I beseech thee my sonne, that thou looke to heauen and earth, and to al thinges that are in them: and vnderstand that God of nothing made them and mankinde:

29   so shal it come to passe, that thou wilt not feare this tormenter but being made a worthie partaker with thy bretheren, take thou death, that in that mercie I may receiue thee againe with thy bretheren.

30   When she as yet was saying these thinges, the yong man sayd: For whom stay you? I obey not the commandement of the king, but the commandement of the law, which was geuen vs by Moyses.

31   But thou that art become the inuenter of al malice against the Hebrewes, shal not escape the hand of God.

32   For we for our sinnes doe suffer these thinges.

33   And if the Lord our God hath bene angrie with vs a litle for rebuke & correction: yet he wil be reconciled againe to his seruants.

34   But thou ô wicked, and of al men most flagicious, be not in vaine extolled with vaine hopes, inflamed against his seruantes.

35   For thou hast not yet escaped the iudgement of the almightie God, and him that beholdeth al thinges.

36   For my bretheren hauing now susteyned short payne, are become vnder the testament of eternal life: but thou by the

iudgement of God shalt receiue iust punishment for thy pride.

37   And I as also my brethren doe yeld my life and my bodie for the lawes of our fathers: inuocating God to be propicious to our nation quickly, and that thou with torments and stripes maist confesse that he onlie is God.

38   But in me and in my brethren shal the wrath of the Almightie cease, which hath iustly bene brought vpon al our stocke.

39   Then the king incensed with anger, raged against him more cruelly aboue al the rest, taking it grieuously that he was mocked.

40   And this same therfore died vnspotted, wholy trusting in our Lord.

41   And last of al after the sonnes the mother also was consumed.

42   Therfore of the sacrifices, and of the exceeding cruelties there is ynough sayd. ^note

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