1And now it came to pass in the twenty & ninth year of the Judges that Am moron sent unto Moroni desireing that he would exchange prisoners
1And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and ninth year of the judges, that Ammoron sent unto Moroni desiring that he would exchange prisoners.
2& it came to pass that Moroni felt to rejoice excedingly at this request for he desired the provisions which was imparted for the Support of the Lamanite prisoners for the support of his own people & he also desired his own people for the strengthening of his army
2And it came to pass that Moroni felt to rejoice exceedingly at this request, for he desired the provisions which were imparted for the support of the Lamanite prisoners for the support of his own people; and he also desired his own people for the strengthening of his army.
3now the Lamanites had taken many women & children & there was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni or the prisoners which Moroni had taken therefore Moroni resolved upon a stratigem to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from the Lamanites as it were possible
3Now the Lamanites had taken many women and children, and there was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni, or the prisoners whom Moroni had taken; therefore Moroni resolved upon a stratagem to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from the Lamanites as it were possible.
4therefore he wrote an Epistle & sent it by the servant of Ammoron the same who had brought an Epistle to Moroni now these are the words which he wrote unto Ammoron saying
4Therefore he wrote an epistle, and sent it by the servant of Ammoron, the same who had brought an epistle to Moroni. Now these are the words which he wrote unto Ammoron, saying:
5behohold Ammoron I have wrote unto you somewhat concerning this war which ye have wedged against my people or rather which thy Brother hath wedged against them & which ye are still determined to carry on after his death
5Behold, Ammoron, I have written unto you somewhat concerning this war which ye have waged against my people, or rather which thy brother hath waged against them, and which ye are still determined to carry on after his death.
6behold I would tell you something concerning the justice of God & the sword of his Almyghty wrath which doth hang over you except ye repent & with draw your armies into your own lands or the lands of your possessions which is the land of Nephi
6Behold, I would tell you somewhat concerning the justice of God, and the sword of his almighty wrath, which doth hang over you except ye repent and withdraw your armies into your own lands, or the land of your possessions, which is the land of Nephi.
7yea I would tell you these things if ye were capible of harkening unto them yea I would tell you concerning that awful Hell that awaits to receive such murderers as thou & thy brother hath been except ye repent & with draw your murderous purposes & return with your armies to your own lands
7Yea, I would tell you these things if ye were capable of hearkening unto them; yea, I would tell you concerning that awful hell that awaits to receive such murderers as thou and thy brother have been, except ye repent and withdraw your murderous purposes, and return with your armies to your own lands.
8but as ye have once rejected these things & have fought against the people of the Lord even so I may expect you will do it again
8But as ye have once rejected these things, and have fought against the people of the Lord, even so I may expect you will do it again.
9& now behold we are prepared to receive you yea & except you withdraw your purposes behold ye will pull down the wrath of that God whom <you> have rejected upon <you> even to your
9And now behold, we are prepared to receive you; yea, and except you withdraw your purposes, behold, ye will pull down the wrath of that God whom you have rejected upon you, even to your utter destruction.
10but as the Lord liveth our armies shall come upon you except ye withdraw & ye shall soon be visited with death for we will retain our cities & our lands yea & we will maintain our Religion & the cause of our God
10But, as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will maintain our religion and the cause of our God.
11but behold it supposeth me that I talk to you concerning these things in vain or it supposeth me that thou art a child of Hell therefore I will close my Epistle by telling you that I will not exchange prisons save it be on conditions that ye will deliver up a man & his wife & his children for one prisoner if this be the case that ye will do it I will exchange
11But behold, it supposeth me that I talk to you concerning these things in vain; or it supposeth me that thou art a child of hell; therefore I will close my epistle by telling you that I will not exchange prisoners, save it be on conditions that ye will deliver up a man and his wife and his children, for one prisoner; if this be the case that ye will do it, I will exchange.
12& behold if ye do not this I will come against you with my armies yea even I will arm my women & my children & I will come against you & I will follow you even into your own land which is the land of our first inheritance yea & it sh all be blood for blood yea life for life & I will give you battle even untill you are des troyed from off the face of the Earth
12And behold, if ye do not this, I will come against you with my armies; yea, even I will arm my women and my children, and I will come against you, and I will follow you even into your own land, which is the land of our first inheritance; yea, and it shall be blood for blood, yea, life for life; and I will give you battle even until you are destroyed from off the face of the earth.
13behold I am in my anger & also my people ye have sought to murder us & we have only sought to defend ourselves but behold if ye seek to destroy us more we will seek to destroy you yea & we will seek our land the lands of our first inherita◊ ce now
13Behold, I am in my anger, and also my people; ye have sought to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves. But behold, if ye seek to destroy us more we will seek to destroy you; yea, and we will seek our land, the land of our first inheritance.
14I close my Epistle I am Moroni I am a leader of the people of the Nephites
14Now I close my epistle. I am Moroni; I am a leader of the people of the Nephites.
15Now it came to pass that Ammoron when he had rece ived this Epistle he was angry & he wrote another Epistle unto Moroni & these are the wo◊◊◊[words] which he wrote saying
15Now it came to pass that Ammoron, when he had received this epistle, was angry; and he wrote another epistle unto Moroni, and these are the words which he wrote, saying:
16I am Ammoron the King of the Lamanites I am the brother of Amalickiah whom ye have murdered behold I will avenge his blood upon you yea & I will come upon you with my armies for I fear not your threatnings
16I am Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites; I am the brother of Amalickiah whom ye have murdered. Behold, I will avenge his blood upon you, yea, and I will come upon you with my armies for I fear not your threatenings.
17for behold your fathers did wrong their brethren insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the goverment when it rightly belonged unto them
17For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the government when it rightly belonged unto them.
18& now behold if ye will lay down your arms & subject yourselves to be governed by those to whom the goverment doth rightly belong then will I cause that my people shall lay down their weapons & shall be at war no more
18And now behold, if ye will lay down your arms, and subject yourselves to be governed by those to whom the government doth rightly belong, then will I cause that my people shall lay down their weapons and shall be at war no more.
19behold ye have breathed out many threatnings against me & my people but behold we fear not your threatnings
19Behold, ye have breathed out many threatenings against me and my people; but behold, we fear not your threatenings.
20nevertheless I will grant to exchange prisoners accor ding to your request gladly that I may preserve my food for my men of war & we will wedge a war which shall be eternal either to the subjecting the Nephites to our authority or to their eternal extinction
20Nevertheless, I will grant to exchange prisoners according to your request, gladly, that I may preserve my food for my men of war; and we will wage a war which shall be eternal, either to the subjecting the Nephites to our authority or to their eternal extinction.
21& as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected behold we know not such a being neither ye but if it so be that there is such a being we know not but that he hath made us as well as you
21And as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected, behold, we know not such a being; neither do ye; but if it so be that there is such a being, we know not but that he hath made us as well as you.
22& if it so be that there is a Devil & a Hell behold will he not send you there to dwell with my brother which ye have murdered which ye have hinted that he hath gone to such a place but behold these things mattereth not
22And if it so be that there is a devil and a hell, behold will he not send you there to dwell with my brother whom ye have murdered, whom ye have hinted that he hath gone to such a place? But behold these things matter not.
23I am Ammoron & a desendant of Zoram whom your fathers pressed & brought out of Jerusalem
23I am Ammoron, and a descendant of Zoram, whom your fathers pressed and brought out of Jerusalem.
24& behold now I am a bold Lamanite behold this war hath been wadged to avenge their wrongs & to maintain & to obtain their rights to the goverment & I close my Epistle to Moroni
24And behold now, I am a bold Lamanite; behold, this war hath been waged to avenge their wrongs, and to maintain and to obtain their rights to the government; and I close my epistle to Moroni.