The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. XIV.

[verse 1] Ester also the quen fleiȝ to the Lord, dredende the perile, that wex aboue. [verse 2] And whan she hadde do doun hir kingus clothis, she toc couenable clothis to wep|ingis and to weiling; and for diuers oynemens with askis and drit she ful|filde the hed, and hir bodi mekide with fastingus; and alle placis, in the whiche she was wont to gladen, with to-tering of heris she fulfilde. [verse 3] And she preȝede the Lord God of Irael, seiende, My Lord, that art king alone, help me solitarie, and of whom saue thee is noon other [verse 4] helpere; my perile is in myn hondis. [verse 5] I haue herd of my fader, that thou shuldest han taken Irael fro alle Jen|tilis, and oure fadris fro alle ther more behinde, that thou shuldist welde the euermor durende eritage; and thou didist to hem, as thou speke. [verse 6] Wee han synned in thi siȝte, and therfore thou hast taken [verse 7] vs in to the hondis of oure enemys; for|sothe wee han heried the godis of hem.

[verse 8] Riȝtwis thou art, Lord; and now it suf|fiseth not to them, that with most hard seruyse they oppressen vs, but, the strengthe of ther hondis wijtende to [verse 9] the power of maumetis, wiln chaunge thin hestis [behestis E.] , and don awei thin eritage, and close the mouthis of men preisende thee, and quenchen out the glorie of the [verse 10] temple and of thin auter, that thei opene the mouthis of Jentilis, and preise the strengthe of maumetis, and prechen a fleshli king in to euermor. [verse 11] Ne take thou, Lord, thi kingus dignete to them, that ben not, lest thei laȝhen at oure falling; but turne the counseil of hem vp on hem [us E pr. m.] , and hym that in vs began to waxe feers, scatere. [verse 12] Haue mynde, Lord, and sheuȝ thee to vs in time of oure tribula|cioun; and ȝif to me trost, Lord, king [verse 13] of Jewis and of alle power; ȝif a semeli woord in my mouth in the siȝte of the leoun, and ber ouer the herte of hym in to the hate of oure enemy, that and he pershe, and othere that consenten to hym. [verse 14] Vs also deliuere in thin hond, and help me, noon other hauende helpe but thee, Lord, that hast kunnyng of alle thingis. [verse 15] And thou hast knowen for I hatide the glorie of wicke [wickede AEFH.] men, and wlate the bed of vncircumcidide men, and of alle he|thene. [verse 16] Thou knowist infirmyte and my nede, that I wlate the signe of pride and of my glorie, that is vpon myn hed in the daȝis of my shewing, and I wlate it as the cloth of the womman in flux of blod, and I bere not in the daȝis of my [verse 17] silence, and that I eet not in the bord of Aman, ne to me pleside the feste of the king, and I dranc nott win of sacrifises; [verse 18] and neuere gladide thin hond womman,

sithen hider I am translatid vnto the pre|sent dai, but in thee, Lord God of Abra|ham. [verse 19] Strong God ouer alle, heere the vois of hem, that noon other hope [helpe AH.] han, and delyuere vs fro the hond of wicke [wickede AEFH.] men, and pul out me fro my drede. These thingus also addid I fond in the comun translacioun.