2 Maccabees 2

¹ Forsothe tentis of the kyng stieden vp ayens hem, in to Jerusalem; and tentis of the king applieden to Judee, and to the hil of Syon; ² and he made pees with these that weren in Bethsura. And thei wenten out of the citee, for foodis weren not to hem closid togidere there, for the sabatis of erthe weren. ³ And the kyng took Bethsura, and ordeynede there kepyng, for to kepe it. ⁴ And he turnede the tentis to the place of halewyng many daies; and ordeynede there arblastis, and engynes, and dartis of fier, and turmentis for to caste stoonys and dartis, and scorpiens for to schete arows, and slyngis. ⁵ Forsothe and thei maden engynes ayens the engynes of hem, and fouyten many daies. ⁶ Forsothe metis weren not in the citee, for that it was the seuenthe yeer; and thei that leften of hethene men in Judee, hadden wastid the relifs of tho thingis that weren kept. ⁷ And fewe men leften in hooli thingis, for hungur hadde take hem; and thei weren scaterid, ech man in to his place. ⁸ And Lisias herde, that Filip, whom kyng Antiok ordeynede, whanne he lyuyde yit, that he schulde nursche Antiok, his sone, that he schulde regne, ⁹ turnede ayen fro Perse and Medei, and the oost that wente with hym. And that he sekith for to take the causis of the rewme, ¹⁰ Lisias hastide for to go, and seie to the kyng, and duykis of the oost, We failen ech dai, and litil mete is to vs, and the place which we bisegen, is strong, and it fallith to vs for to ordeyne of the rewme. ¹¹ Therfor now yyue we riythondis to these men, and make we pees with hem, and with al the folc of hem; ¹² and ordeyne we to hem, that thei go in lawful thingis as bifore; for whi for the lawful thingis of hem whiche we dispisiden, thei ben wrooth, and han don alle these thingis. ¹³ And the word plesid in the siyt of the kyng, and of princes; and he sente to hem for to make pees, and thei resseyueden it. ¹⁴ And the kyng swoor to hem, and princes; and thei wenten out of the strengthing. ¹⁵ And the kyng entride in to the mount Sion, and he siy the strengthing of the place; and he brak ful soone the ooth that he swoor, and comaundide for to distrie the wal in cumpas. ¹⁶ And he departide awei hastili, and turnede ayen to Antiochie, and foond Filip regnynge in the citee; and he fauyt ayens hym, and ocupiede the cyte bi strengthe. ¹⁸ In the hundrid yeer and oon and fifti Demetrie, sone of Sileuce, wente out fro the cite of Rome, and stiede with fewe men in to a citee niy the see, and regnede there. ¹⁹ And it was don, as he entride in to the hous of the rewme of his fadris, the oost cauyte Antiok, and Lisias, for to brynge hem to hym. ²⁰ And the thing was knowun to hym, and he seide, Nyle ye schewe to me the face of hem. ²¹ And the oost slow hem. And Demetrie sat on the seete of his rewme; ²² and wickid men and vnfeithful of Israel camen to hym, and Alchymus, duyk of hem, that wolde be maad prest; ²³ and accusiden the puple anentis the kyng, and seiden, Judas and hise britheren loste thi frendis, and dyuerseli loste vs fro oure lond. ²⁴ Now therfor sende thou a man, to whom thou bileuest, that he go, and se al the distriyng that he hath don to vs, and to cuntreis of the kyng; and he punyschide alle frendis of hym, and helperis of hem. ²⁵ And the kyng chees of his frendis Bachides, that was lord ouer the greet flood in the rewme, and trewe to the kyng, and sente hym, ²⁶ for to see the distriyng that Judas dide; and he ordeynede vnfeithful Alchymus in to presthod, and bad hym do veniaunce on the sones of Israel. ²⁷ And thei risiden, and camen with greet oost in to the lond of Juda; and thei senten messangeris, and spaken to Judas and his britheren, with pesible wordis in gile. ²⁸ And thei yauen not tent to her wordis; for thei siyen, that thei camen with greet oost. ²⁹ And the congregacioun of scribis camen togidere to Alchymus and Bachides, for to axe tho thingis that ben iust; ³⁰ and the firste Assideis, that weren among the sones of Israel, and thei axiden of hem pees. ³¹ For thei seiden, A man, preist of the seed of Aaron, cometh, he schal not disseyue vs. ³² And he spak with hem pesible wordis, and swoor to hem, and seide, We schulen not brynge in to you yuels, nether to youre frendis.