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[106]
Now, in the night time, when John saw that there was no Roman guard
about the city, he seized the opportunity directly, and, taking with him
not only the armed men that where about him, but a considerable number
of those that had little to do, together with their families, he fled to
Jerusalem. And indeed, though the man was making haste to get away, and
was tormented with fears of being a captive, or of losing his life, yet
did he prevail with himself to take out of the city along with him a multitude
of women and children, as far as twenty furlongs; but there he left them
as he proceeded further on his journey, where those that were left behind
made sad lamentations; for the farther every one of them was come from
his own people, the nearer they thought themselves to be to their enemies.
They also affrighted themselves with this thought, that those who would
carry them into captivity were just at hand, and still turned themselves
back at the mere noise they made themselves in this their hasty flight,
as if those from whom they fled were just upon them. Many also of them
missed their ways, and the earnestness of such as aimed to outgo the rest
threw down many of them. And indeed there was a miserable destruction made
of the women and children; while some of them took courage to call their
husbands and kinsmen back, and to beseech them, with the bitterest lamentations,
to stay for them; but John's exhortation, who cried out to them to save
themselves, and fly away, prevailed. He said also, that if the Romans should
seize upon those whom they left behind, they would be revenged on them
for it. So this multitude that run thus away was dispersed abroad, according
as each of them was able to run, one faster or slower than another.
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