Judas knowing the Romans to be a most renowned nation, reciting their worthy acts, 17. sendeth ambassadors to enter league with them: 21. Whereto they agreeing confirm a perpetual amity with mutual conditions.Iudas knowing the Romanes to be a most renowmed nation, reciting their worthie actes, 17. sendeth Embassaders to enter league with them: 21. Wherto they agreing confirme a perpetual amitie with mutual conditions.✦
And Judas heard of the name of the Romans, that they are mighty of power, and agree unto all things that are requested of them: and whosoever have come unto them, they have made amity with them, and that they are mighty of power.AND Iudas heard of the name of the Romanes, that they are mightie of power, and agree vnto al thinges that are requested of them: and whosoeuer haue come vnto them, they haue made amitie with them, and that they are mightie of powre.✦Et audivit Judas nomen Romanorum, quia sunt potentes viribus, et acquiescunt ad omnia quæ postulantur ab eis, et quicumque accesserunt ad eos, statuerunt cum eis amicitias : et quia sunt potentes viribus.
2And they heard of their battles, and goodly acts, which they did in Galatia, that they overcame them, and brought them under tribute:And they heard of their battels, & goodlie acts, which they did in Galatia, that they ouercame them, and brought them vnder tribute:✦Et audierunt prælia eorum, et virtutes bonas, quas fecerunt in Galatia, quia obtinuerunt eos, et duxerunt sub tributum :
3and how great things they did in the country of Spain, and that they brought into their power the metals of silver and gold, that are there, and possessed every place by their counsel, and patience:& how great thinges they did in the countrie of Spaine, & that they brought into their powre the meralles of siluer and gold, that are there, and possessed euerie place by their counsel, & patience:✦et quanta fecerunt in regione Hispaniæ, et quod in potestatem redegerunt metalla argenti et auri, quæ illic sunt, et possederunt omnem locum consilio suo, et patientia :
4and destroyed the places that were very far off from them, and the kings that came upon them from the ends of the earth, and percusserunt: struck them with a great plaga: a crushing blow, not a pestilence: and the rest give them tribute every year.and destroyed the places that were very far of from them, & the kings that came vpon them from the ends of the earth, and stroke them with a greate plague: and the rest geue them tribute euerie yeare.✦locaque quæ longe erant valde ab eis, et reges, qui supervenerant eis ab extremis terræ, contriverunt, et percusserunt eos plaga magna : ceteri autem dant eis tributum omnibus annis.
5And Philip and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne weapon against them, they contriverunt: routed, utterly defeated in battle, and overcame them:And Philip and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne weapon against them, they discomfited in battel, and ouercame them:✦Et Philippum et Persen Ceteorum regem, et ceteros qui adversum eos arma tulerant, contriverunt in bello, et obtinuerunt eos :
6and that Antiochus the great king of Asia, who made battle against them, having an hundred and twenty elephants, and horsemen, and chariots an army exceeding great was discomfited by them:and that Antiochus the great king of Asia, who made battel against them, hauing an hundred and twentie elephants, & horsemen, & chariottes an armie exceeding great was discomfited by them:✦et Antiochum magnum regem Asiæ, qui eis pugnam intulerat habens centum viginti elephantos, et equitatum, et currus, et exercitum magnum valde, contritum ab eis :
7and that they took him alive, and appointed him, that himself and they that should reign after him, should give a great tribute, and he should give hostages, and the thing appointed him.& that they tooke him aliue, and appointed him, that himself and they that should reigne after him, should geue a great tribute, and he should geue hostages, and the thing appointed him.✦et quia ceperunt eum vivum, et statuerunt ei ut daret ipse, et qui regnarent post ipsum, tributum magnum, et daret obsides, et constitutum,
8and the region of the Indies, and the Medes, and the Lydians of their best countries: and the same being taken of them, they gave to Eumenes the king.and the region of the Indes, & the Medes, & the Lydians of their best countries: and the same being taken of them, they gaue to Eumenes the king.✦et regionem Indorum, et Medos, et Lydos, de optimis regionibus eorum : et acceptas eas ab eis, dederunt Eumeni regi,
9And that they which were in Hellada, would have gone to dispatch them: and the word was known to them,And that they which were in Hellada, would haue gone to dispatch them: and the word was knowen to them,✦et quia qui erant apud Helladam, voluerunt ire, et tollere eos : et innotuit sermo his,
10and they sent unto them one captain, and they fought against them, and many of them were slain, and they led away their wives captive, and their children, and spoiled them, and possessed their land, and destroyed their walls, and brought them into bondage even until this day:and they sent vnto them one captayne, and they fought against them, & manie of them were slaine, and they led away their wiues captiue, and their children, and spoiled them, and possessed their land, and destroyed their walles, and brought them into bondage euen vntil this day:✦et miserunt ad eos ducem unum, et pugnaverunt contra illos, et ceciderunt ex eis multi, et captivas duxerunt uxores eorum et filios, et diripuerunt eos, et terram eorum possederunt, et destruxerunt muros eorum, et in servitutem illos redegerunt usque in hunc diem :
11and the residue of kingdoms, and isles that sometime had resisted them, they spoiled, and brought under their power.and the residue of kingdoms, and iles that some time had resisted them, they spoyled, and brought vnder their powre.et residua regna, et insulas, quæ aliquando restiterant illis, exterminaverunt, et in potestatem redegerunt.
12But with their friends, and those that rested in them, they kept amity, and obtained the kingdoms, that were next, and that were far off: that whosoever heard their name, feared them.But with their freinds, and those that rested in them, they kept amitie, and obteyned the kingdoms, that were next, and that were far of: that whosoeuer heard their name, feared them.✦Cum amicis autem suis, et qui in ipsis requiem habebant, conservaverunt amicitiam, et obtinuerunt regna, quæ erant proxima, et quæ erant longe : quia quicumque audiebant nomen eorum, timebant eos :
13But such as they would help to reign, those reigned: and whom they would, they deposed from the kingdom: and they were exalted exceedingly.But such as they would helpe to reigne, those reigned: and whom they would, they deposed from the kingdom: and they were exalted exceedingly.quibus vero vellent auxilio esse ut regnarent, regnabant : quos autem vellent, regno deturbabant : et exaltati sunt valde.
14And in all these none bare a crown, nor was clothed with purple, to be magnified therein.And in al these none bare a crowne, nor was clothed with purple, to be magnified therin.✦Et in omnibus istis nemo portabat diadema, nec induebatur purpura, ut magnificaretur in ea.
15And that they made themselves a court, and consulted daily three hundred and twenty, that sate in counsel always for the multitude, that they might do the things that were convenient:And that they made them selues a court, and consulted dayly three hundred and twentie, that sate in counsel alwayes for the multitude, that they might doe the thinges that were conuenient:✦Et quia curiam fecerunt sibi, et quotidie consulebant trecentos viginti consilium agentes semper de multitudine, ut quæ digna sunt, gerant :
16and they commit their government to one man every year to rule over all their land, and all they obey one, and there is no envy, nor zelus: jealous rivalry, not admiring imitation amongst them.and they committe their gouerment to one man euerie yeare to rule ouer al their land, & al they obey one, & there is no enuie, nor emulation amongst them.✦et committunt uni homini magistratum suum per singulos annos dominari universæ terræ suæ, et omnes obediunt uni, et non est invidia, neque zelus inter eos.
17And Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, the son of Jacob, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to make amity and societatem: an alliance, a partnership, not social life at large with them:And Iudas chose Eupolemus the sonne of Iohn, the sonne of Iacob, and Iason the sonne of Eleazar, & he sent them to Rome to make amitie and societie with them:✦Et elegit Judas Eupolemum filium Joannis filii Jacob, et Jasonem filium Eleazari, et misit eos Romam constituere cum illis amicitiam et societatem :
18and that they should take from them the yoke of the Greeks, because they saw that they pressed the kingdom of Israel unto bondage.and that they should take from them the yoke of the Greeks, because they saw that they pressed the kingdom of Israel vnto bondage.et ut auferrent ab eis jugum Græcorum, quia viderunt quod in servitutem premerent regnum Israël.
19And they went to Rome, a way exceeding great, and they entered into the court, and said:And they went to Rome, a way exceeding great, and they entered into the court, and sayd:Et abierunt Romam viam multam valde, et introierunt curiam, et dixerunt :
20Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews have sent us unto you to make society and peace with you, and to write us your fellows and friends.Iudas Machabeus, and his bretheren, and the people of the Iewes haue sent vs vnto you to make societie and peace with you, and to write vs your felowes and freindes.Judas Machabæus, et fratres ejus, et populus Judæorum, miserunt nos ad vos statuere vobiscum societatem et pacem, et conscribere nos socios et amicos vestros.
21And the word was liked in their sight.And the word was liked in their sight.Et placuit sermo in conspectu eorum.
22And this is the rescriptum: an official written reply or decree, that they wrote again in tabulis: tablets of æreis: bronze, not the modern zinc alloy, and sent into Jerusalem, that it might be with them there a memorial of peace, and society.And this is the rescript, that they wrote againe in tables of brasse, and sent into Ierusalem, that it might be with them there a memorial of peace, & societie.✦Et hoc rescriptum est quod rescripserunt in tabulis æreis, et miserunt in Jerusalem, ut esset apud eos ibi memoriale pacis et societatis :
23Be it well to the Romans, and to the nation of the Jews by sea, and by land for ever: and sword and enemy be far from them.BE IT WEL TO THE ROMANES, and to the nation of the Iewes by sea, & by land for euer: and sword and enemie be far from them.✦Bene sit Romanis, et genti Judæorum, in mari et in terra in æternum : gladiusque et hostis procul sit ab eis.
24But and if war be toward the Romans first, or all their fellows in all their dominion:But and if warre be toward the Romanes first, or al their felowes in al their dominion:Quod si institerit bellum Romanis prius, aut omnibus sociis eorum in omni dominatione eorum,
25the nation of the Jews shall give aid, according as the time shall appoint, with full heart:the nation of the Iewes shal geue ayde, according as the time shal appoint, with ful hart:✦auxilium feret gens Judæorum, prout tempus dictaverit, corde pleno :
26and to them fighting, they shall not give nor allow wheat, armour, money, ships, as it hath pleased the Romans: and they shall keep their charge, taking nothing of them.and to them fighting, they shal not geue nor allow wheate, armour, money, shippes, as it hath pleased the Romanes: and they shal keepe their charge, taking nothing of them.✦et præliantibus non dabunt, neque subministrabunt triticum, arma, pecuniam, naves, sicut placuit Romanis : et custodient mandata eorum, nihil ab eis accipientes.
27In like manner also and if war shall happen first to the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help with all their heart, according as the time shall permit them:In like maner also and if warre shal happen first to the nation of the Iewes, the Romanes shal helpe with al their hart, according as the time shal permitte them:✦Similiter autem et si genti Judæorum prius acciderit bellum, adjuvabunt Romani ex animo, prout eis tempus permiserit :
28and to them helping shall not be given wheat, armour, money, ships, as it hath pleased the Romans: and they shall keep their charge without dolo: deceit, treachery.and to them helping shal not be geuen wheate, armour, money, shippes, as it hath pleased the Romanes: and they shal keepe their charge without guile.et adjuvantibus non dabitur triticum, arma, pecunia, naves, sicut placuit Romanis : et custodient mandata eorum absque dolo :
29According to these words did the Romans agree to the people of the Jews.According to these wordes did the Romanes agree to the people of the Iewes.secundum hæc verba constituerunt Romani populo Judæorum.
30And if after these words these or they will add to these, or take away any thing, they shall do it at their pleasure: and whatsoever they shall add, or take away, shall be ratified.And if after these wordes these or they wil adde to these, or take away any thing, they shal doe it at their pleasure: and whatsoeuer they shal adde, or take away, shal be ratified.✦Quod si post hæc verba hi aut illi addere aut demere ad hæc aliquid voluerint, facient ex proposito suo : et quæcumque addiderint, vel dempserint, rata erunt.
31Yea and concerning the evils, that Demetrius the king hath done against them, we have written to him, saying: Why hast thou gravasti: made heavy, made burdensome, not merely "worsened" thy yoke upon our friends, and fellows the Jews?Yea and concerning the euils, that Demetrius the king hath done against them, we haue writen to him, saying: Why hast thou aggrauated thy yoke vpon our freinds, and felowes the Iewes?✦Sed et de malis, quæ Demetrius rex fecit in eos, scripsimus ei, dicentes : Quare gravasti jugum tuum super amicos nostros, et socios Judæos ?
32If therefore they come again unto us against thee, we will do judgment for them, and will fight with thee by sea and land.If therfore they come againe vnto vs against thee, we wil doe iudgement for them, and wil fight with thee by sea and land.si ergo iterum adierint nos, adversum te faciemus illis judicium, et pugnabimus tecum mari terraque.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.