Bishops(i)
1 Iudas heard also the fame of the Romaines, that they were mightie and valiaunt men, and agreeable to all thinges that are required of them, and make peace with all men which come vnto them,
2 And how they were doughtie men of strength: besides that, it was tolde him of their battailes and noble actes which they did in Galatia, how they had conquered them, and brought them vnder tribute,
3 And what great thinges they had done in Spayne: how that with their wysdome and sober behauour they had wonne the mines of siluer and gold that are there,
4 And obtayned al the land, with other places farre from them: how they had discomfited & slaine downe the kinges that came vpon them from the vttermost parte of the earth, and how other people gaue them tribute euery yere:
5 How they had slaine and ouercome Philip and Perses kinges of Cethim, and other mo in battaile, which had brought their ordinaunce against them:
6 How they discomfited great Antiochus king of Asia, that woulde needes fight with them, hauing an hundred and twentie Elephantes, with horsemen, charets, and a very great hoast:
7 How they toke him selfe aliue, and ordained him, with such as shoulde raigne after him, to pay them a great tribute, yea and to finde them good sureties and pledge besides all this:
8 How they had taken from him India, Media, and Lydia, his best landes, and geuen them to king Eumenus:
9 Againe, how they perceauing that the Grekes were comming to vexe them,
10 Sent against them a captayne of an hoast, which gaue them battaile, slue many of them, led away their wyues and children captiue, spoyled them, toke possession of their lande, and destroyed their strong holdes, and subdued them to be their bondmen, vnto this day.
11 Moreouer, how that as for other kingdomes and Iles which sometime with stoode them, they destroyed them, and brought them vnder their dominion:
12 But kept amitie with their owne frendes, and those that were confederate with them, and conquered kingdomes both farre and nye: & that whosoeuer heard of their renowme, was afrayde of the.
13 For whom they woulde helpe to their kingdomes, those raigned: and whom it lyked not them to raigne, they put them downe: And howe they were come to great preheminence,
14 Hauing no king among them, neither any man clothed in purple to be magnified therethrough:
15 But had ordained them selues a parliament, wherin there sat three hundred and twentie senatours dayly vpon the counsell, to dispatch euer the busines of the people, and to kepe good order:
16 And howe that euery yere they chose a Maire to haue the gouernaunce of al their lande, to whom euery man was obedient, and there was neither euill wyll nor discention among them.
17 Then Iudas chose Eupolemus, the sonne of Iohn the sonne of Iacob, and Iason the sonne of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome for to make frendship and a bonde of loue with them,
18 That they might take from them the bondage of the Grekes: for the Iewes saw that the Grekes would subdue the kingdome of Israel.
19 So they went vnto Rome, a very great iourney, & came vnto the parliament, and saide:
20 Iudas Machabeus, with his brethren, and the people of the Iewes, hath sent vs vnto you, to make a bond of frendship and peace with you, and ye to note vs as your louers and friendes.
21 And that matter pleased the Romanes right well:
22 Wherefore it was written vp: of the which the Romanes made a writing in tables of brasse, and sent it to Hierusalem, that they might haue by them a memoriall of the same peace and bonde of frendship, after this maner:
23 God saue the Romanes and the people of the Iewes both by sea & by lande, and kepe the sworde and enemie from them for euermore:
24 If there come first any warre vpon the Romanes or any of their friendes throughout all their dominion,
25 The people of the Iewes shall helpe them, as the time requireth, and that with all their heartes.
26 Also they shall neither geue nor send vnto their enemies vitailes, weapons, money, nor shippes: but fulfil their couenauntes at the Romanes pleasure, taking nothing of them therefore.
27 Againe, if the people of the Iewes happen first to haue warre, the Romanes shal stand by them with a good wyl, according as the time wyll suffer:
28 Neither shall they geue vnto the Iewes enemies vitailes, weapons, money, or shippes: Thus are the Romanes content to do, and shall fulfill their charge without any disceite.
29 According to these articles, the Romanes made ye bond with the Iewes.
30 Now after these articles [saide they] if any of the parties wyll put to them, or take any thing from them, they shall do it with the consent of both: and whatsoeuer they adde vnto them, or take from them, it shall stande fast.
31 And as touching the euill that Demetrius hath done vnto the Iewes, we haue writte vnto him, saying: Wherfore layest thou thy heauie yoke vpon the Iewes our friendes and louers?
32 If they make any complaint of thee againe vnto vs, we shall defende them, and fight with thee by sea and by lande, according to iustice.