1 Macc 12

1 And Jonatas siy that the tyme helpith hym; and he chees men, and sente hem to Rome for to ordeyne and renule frendschip with hem. 2 And to Sparciates, and to other places, he sente epistlis bi the same forme. 3 And thei wenten to Rome, and entriden in to the court, and seiden, Jonathas, hiyeste prest, and the folc of Jewis, sente vs, for to renule frendschip and felouschip, bi the formere. 4 And thei yauen to hem epistlis to hem bi placis, that thei schulden lede forth hem in to the lond of Juda with pees. 5 And this is the ensaumple of pistlis, whiche Jonathas wroot to Sparciatis. 6 Jonathas, hiyeste preest, and the eldere men of the folc, and prestis, and othere puple of Jewis, to Sparciatis, britheren, helthe. 7 Now bifore epistlis weren sent to Onyas, hiyeste prest, fro Darius, that regnede anentis you; for ye ben oure britheren, as the rescrite conteyneth, that is vndur put. 8 And Onyas resseyuede the man, that was sent, with onour, and took epistlis, in whiche he was signefied of felouschip and frendschip. 9 Whanne we hadden no nede of these, and hadden in coumfort hooli bookis that ben in oure hondis, 10 we hadden leuere for to sende to you, for to renule britherhod and frenschip, lest perauenture we be maad aliens fro you; forwhi many tymes passiden, sithen ye senten to vs. 11 We therfor in al tyme with out ceessyng, in to solempne daies, and othere, in whiche it bihoueth, ben myndeful of you in sacrifices that we offren, and in obseruaunces, as leueful is, and bisemeth, for to haue hadde mynde of britheren. 12 Therfore we ben glad of youre glorie. 13 Forsothe many tribulaciouns and many batels enuyrownden vs; and kyngis, that ben in oure cumpas, `fouyten ayens vs. 14 Therfore we wolden not be greuouse to you, nether to othere felowis, and oure frendis, in these batels. 15 For we hadden help of heuene, and ben delyuered, and oure enemyes ben maad lowe. 16 Therfor we han chosun Newmenyus, the sone of Antiok, and Antipatre, sone of Jasoun, and senten to Romayns, for to renule with hem both frendschip and formere felouschipe. 17 Therfor we comaundiden to hem, that thei come also to you, and grete you, and yelde to you oure pistlis of renulyng of oure britherhod. 18 And nowe ye schulen do wel, answerynge to vs to these thingis. 19 And this is the ayenwrityng of epistlis, that Onyas, the kyng of Sparciatis, sente. 20 Onyas to Jonathas, greet preest, heelthe. 21 It is foundyn in writyng of Sparciatis, and of Jewis, that thei ben britheren, and that thei ben of the kyn of Abraham. 22 And now sithen we knowen these thingis, ye don wel, writynge to vs of youre pees. 23 But and we han ayen writun to you. Oure beestis and oure possessiouns ben youre, and youre oure. Therfor we comaundiden, for to telle these thingis to you. 24 And Jonathas herde, that the princes of Demetrie wenten out with myche oost, ouer that bifore, for to fiyte ayens hym. 25 And he wente out fro Jerusalem, and ran ayens hem in the cuntre of Amathitha; for he yaf not space to hem, for to entre in to his cuntree. 26 And he sente aspies in the tentis of hem, and thei turneden ayen, and telden, that thei ordeyneden for to come ouer thidur in niyt. 27 Whanne the sunne hadde go doun, Jonathas badde his men wake, and be redi in armeris to batel al nyyt. And he settide keperis bi cumpas of tentis; 28 and aduersaries herden, that Jonathas was redi with hise men in batel, and thei dredden, and inwardli weren agast in her herte, and tendiden fieris in her tentis. 29 Forsothe Jonathas, and thei that weren with hym, knewen not til to the morewe; for thei siyen liytis brennynge. 30 And Jonathas suyde hem, and cauyte not hem; for thei passiden the flood Eleutherus. 31 And Jonathas turnede to Arabas, that weren clepid Sabadeis; and smoot hem, and took spuylis of hem; and ioynede, 32 and cam in to Damask, and walkide bi al that cuntre. 33 Forsothe Symount wente out, and cam til to Ascalon, and to the nexte strengthis; and he bowide doun in to Joppe, and ocupiede it. 34 For he herde, that thei wolden yyue help to partis of Demetrie; and he puttide there keperis, for to kepe it. 35 And Jonathas turnede ayen, and clepide togidere the eldere men of the puple, and thouyte with hem for to bilde strengthis in Judee, 36 and for to bilde wallis in Jerusalem, and for to reise a greet hiythe, bytwixe the myddil of the hiy tour and the citee, for to departe it fro the citee, that it were aloone, and nether thei bie, nether sille. 37 And thei camen togidere, for to bilde the citee. And the wal felle doun togidere, that was on the streem, fro the risyng of the sunne; and he reparalide it, that is clepid Cafeteta. 38 And Symount bildide Adiada in Sephela, and strengthide it, and puttide on yatis and lockis. 39 And whanne Trifon thouyte for to regne at Asie, and take a diademe, and stretche out hond in to Antiok kyng, 40 he dredde, lest perauenture Jonathas schulde not suffre hym, but fiyte ayens hym; and he souyte for to catche hym, and sle. 41 And he roos vp, and wente in to Bethsan. And Jonathas wente out ayens hym, with fourti thousynde of chosun men in to batel, and cam to Bethsan. 42 And Trifon siy, that Jonathas cam with myche oost, for to stretche out hondis in to hym. 43 And he dredde, and resseyuede hym with onour, and comendide hym to alle his frendis; and yaf to hym yiftis, and comaundide to his oostis, for to obeie to hym as to hym silf. 44 And he seide to Jonathas, Wherto hast thou trauelid al the puple, whanne batel is not to vs? 45 And now sende ayen hem in to her housis. But chese thou to thee a fewe men, that ben with thee, and come thou with me to Tolomayda, and Y schal yyue it to thee, and other strengthis, and oost, and alle souereyns of offices; and Y schal turne, and Y schal go awei. For whi therfor Y cam. 46 And he bileuyde to hym, and dide as he seide, and lefte the oost; and thei wente awei in to the lond of Juda. 47 Forsothe he withhelde with hym thre thousynde of men, of whiche he sente ayen in to Galilee two thousynde; sotheli a thousynde cam with hym. 48 Forsothe as Jonathas entride in to Tolomaida, men of Tolomaida schittiden the yatis, and cauyten hym; and slowen bi swerd alle that entriden with hym. 49 And Trifon sente oost, and horse men in to Galilee, and in to the greet feeld, for to leese alle the felowis of Jonathas. 50 And whanne thei knewen that Jonathas was takun, and perischide, and alle that weren with hym, thei monestiden hem silf, and wenten out redi in to batel. 51 And thei siyen that pursueden, that thing was to hem for the lijf, and turneden ayen. 52 Forsothe thei camen alle with pees in to the lond of Juda. And thei biweiliden Jonathas greetli, and alle that weren with hym, and Israel mourenyde with greet mourenyng. 53 And alle hethene men that weren in the cumpas of hem, souyte for to al to-breken hem; 54 for thei seiden, Thei han no prince and helpere; now therfor ouercome we hem, and take we awei fro men the mynde of hem.