2 Maccabees 15

¹ and that it be not leueful to ony of the puple, and to prestis, for to make ony thing of these voide, and ayenseie to these thingis that ben seid of hym, ether for to clepe togidere couent in the cuntre with outen hym; and for to be clothid in purpur, and for to vse a goldun lace, ether noche. 2 Sotheli he that schal do with out this, ether schal make voide ony of these, schal be gilti. 3 And it pleside togidere to al the puple, for to ordeyne Symount, and do bi these wordis. 4 And Symount resseyuede, and it pleside hym, that he schulde vse hiyeste preesthod, and be duyk and prince of the folc of Jewis, and prestis, and be souereyn of alle men. 5 And thei ordeyneden for to put this writyng in brasun tablis, and put hem in the wal aboute the cumpassyng of hooli thingis, in solempne place; 6 forsothe for to putte ensaumple of these in the tresorie, that Symount haue and hise sones. 8 And kyng Antiok, the sone of Demetrie, sente epistlis fro ilis of the see to Symount, prest, and prince of folc of Jewis, and to al the folc; 9 and tho weren conteynynge this maner. Kyng Antiok to Symount, greet prest, and to the folc of Jewis, helthe. 10 For summen berynge pestilence weldiden the rewme of oure fadris, forsothe Y wole calenge the rewme, and restore it, as it was bifore; Y made a chosun multitude of oost, and Y made schippis of werre. 11 Forsothe Y wole go forth bi cuntrees, that Y do veniaunce on hem that distrieden oure cuntre, and that maden many citees desolat in my rewme. 12 Now therfor Y ordeyne to thee alle offryngis, that kyngis bifore me foryauen to thee, and what euere other yiftis thei foryauen to thee; ¹³ and Y suffre thee for to make prynte of thin owne monei, in thi regioun. ¹⁴ Sotheli Y suffre Jerusalem for to be hooli and fre, and alle armeris that ben maad, and strengthis, that thou hast maad out, and that thou holdist, dwelle to thee; ¹⁵ and al dette of the kyng, and tho that ben to comynge of kingis thingis, fro this and in to al tyme ben foryouun to thee. ¹⁶ Sotheli whanne we schulen welde oure rewme, we schulen glorifie thee, and thi folc, and temple, with greet glorie, so that youre glorie be schewid in al erthe. ¹⁷ In the hundrid yeer and foure and seuentithe yeer Antiok wente out in to the lond of his fadris, and alle oostis camen togidere to hym, so that fewe weren left with Trifon. ¹⁸ And king Antiok pursuede hym, and Trifon cam in to Doram, and fledde bi the see coost; ¹⁹ for he wiste, that yuels weren gaderid on hym, and the oost forsook hym. ²⁰ And Antiok appliede on Doram, with sixe score thousynde of fiytynge men, and eiyte thousynde of horse men; ²¹ and he cumpasside the citee, and schippis camen fro the see; and thei traueliden the citee bi lond and see, and suffriden no man for to entre, ether go out. ²² Forsothe Numenyus cam, and thei that weren with hym, fro Rome, and hadden epistlis writun to kingis and cuntreis, in whiche these thingis weren conteyned. ²³ Lucius, cheef gouernour of Romayns, to kyng Tolome, heelthe. 24 Messangeris of Jewis camen to vs, oure frendis, renulinge the formere frendschip and felouschip, sent of Symoun, prince of prestis, and puple of Jewis. 25 Sotheli thei brouyten also a goldun scheeld of a thousynde besauntis. 26 Therfor it pleside to vs for to write to kyngis and cuntreis, that thei do not yuels to hem, nether impugne hem, and her citees, and her cuntreis, and thei bere not help to men fiytynge ayens hem. 27 Forsothe it is seyn to vs, for to resseyue of hem the scheeld. 28 Therfor if ony men of pestilence schulen fle fro the cuntre of hem to you, bitake ye hem to Symount, prince of prestis, that he do veniaunce on hem bi his lawe. 29 These same thingis ben writun to kyng Demetrie, and Attalus, and Arabas, 30 and Arsaces, and in to alle cuntreis, and Sampsame, and Spartanyes, and Delo, and Mydo, and Sydone, and Carie, and Sanyum, and Pamfiliam, and Lisiam, and Alacarnasum, and Rodum, and Phaselida, and Choo, and Sidon, and Arodo, and Gortynam, and Gnydum, and Cipre, and Cirenen. 31 Forsothe thei han writun ensaumple of these to Symount, prince of prestis, and to the puple of Jewis. 32 Forsothe Antiok, the kyng, appliede tentis in Doram the secounde tyme, mouynge to it euere more hondis, and makynge engynes; and he closide togidere Trifon, lest he wente out. ³³ And Symount sente to hym twei thousynde of chosun men, in to help, and siluer, and gold, and plenteuouse vessels; ³⁴ and he wolde not take tho. But he brak alle thingis that he couenauntide with hym bifore, and alienyde him silf fro hym. ³⁵ And he sente to hym Athenobius, oon of his frendis, for to trete with hym, and seide, Ye holden Joppe, and Gasaram, and the hiy tour that is in Jerusalem, citees of my rewme; ³⁶ ye han wastid the coostis of hem, and han do greet distriyng in the lond, and with out coostis of Judee ye ben lordis bi many places in my rewme. ³⁷ Now therfor yyue ye the citees, which ye ocupieden, and tributis of places, of whiche ye ben lordis, out of endis of Judee. ³⁸ Ether ellis yyue ye for hem fyue hundrid talentis of siluer, and of distriyng that ye han distried, and of tributis of citees, othere fyue hundrid talentis; ether ellis we schulen come, and ouercome you. ³⁹ And Athenobius, frend of the kyng, cam in to Jerusalem, and siy the glorie of Symount, and clerenesse, in gold, and siluer, and plenteuouse apparel, and was astonyed; and telde to him the wordis of the kyng.