Page:Jerusalem's captivities lamented, or, A plain description of Jerusalem from Joshua's time to the year 1517, both from Scripture and ancient history.pdf/17

Rh above ſeventeen years of age of the remainder of them in chains into Egypt, to be employed in ſervile ofices and drudgery: beſides thoſe that were diſtributed up and down the provinces for the uſe of the theatres in the quality of ſwords-men or gladiators; and all under ſeventeen he expoſed to ſale.

In the mean time, while the priſoners were under Fronto's charge, there were eleven thouſand of them ſtarved to death, betwixt the churliſhneſs of the keepers, that would give them no meat, and the ſqueamiſneſs of their ſtomachs that would ſwallow none. But in truth the mouths were too many for the proviſions.

The number of priſoners in this war was ninety-ſeven thouſand. The number of the dead was eleven hundred thouſand; the greater part of them Jews by nation, though not natives of Judea; For it was only a general meeting of them at Jeruſalem, gathered together from all quarters to celebrate the feaſt of the paſſover; who were then ſurpriſed into a war. There was ſuch a prodigious multitude, and they ſo ſtraitened for lodgings, that the croud firſt brought the plague into the town, and then quickly made way for a famine. The city not being capable of entertaining that vaſt body of people, if the calculation of Ceſtius may at leaſt paſs for any thing: As follows,