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

CAP. IV.

[verse 1] The whiche thingis [thing C.] whan Mardocheus hadde herd, he cutte his clothis, and is clad [clothid AH.] with a sac, sprengende askis [asshen A.] to his hed, and in the strete of the myddil cite with gret vois criede, shewende the bit|ternesse of his inwit, [verse 2] and with this wep|ing vnto the ȝatis of the paleis goende; forsothe it was not leful a man clad [clothid AH.] with a sac to entre the kingis halle. [verse 3] Also in alle prouyncis, burȝ townes, and placis, to the whiche the cruel bidding of the king hadde ful comyn, gret weil|ing was anentis the Jewis fastende, and ȝellende, and wepende, manye men vsende for bed sac and askis [asshen A.] . [verse 4] Forsothe the childer [child AH.] wymmen of Ester, and the geld|ingus, wenten in, and tolden to hir; the whiche herende is stoneid [astoneyd AEFH.] , and sente a cloth, that the sac don awei, he shulde clothin hym; the whiche taken he wolde not. [verse 5] And Athac, gelding, clepid, whom the king hadde ȝiue to hir seruaunt, she

comaundide, that he shulde go to Mar|doche, and lernen of hym, whi that thing he dide. [verse 6] And Athac gon out, wente to Mardoche stondende in the strete of the [verse 7] cyte, beforn the dore of the paleis; the whiche shewide to hym alle thingus that hadden falle, hou Aman hadde behoten, that he shulde bringe siluer in to the tresories of the king for the Jewis deth. [verse 8] Also the saumple of the maundement, that heeng [hangede AEFH.] in Susis, he ȝaf to hym, that to the quen he shulde shewen, and warnen hir, that she go in to the king, and preȝe hym for hir puple. [verse 9] And Athac, gon out, tolde Ester alle thingus, that Mardoche hadde seid. [verse 10] The whiche answerde to hym, and seide, that he [verse 11] shulde sey to Mardoche, Alle the [Om. A.] ser|uauns of the king, and alle prouyncis that ben vnder his comaunding, knowen, that outher [or AEFH.] man or womman not clepid entre the innermor porche of the king, withoute aȝeen cleping [aclepyng F.] anoon he be [shal be A.] slain, but if perauenture the king the goldene ȝerde to hym strecche for signe of mercy, and so he may lyuen; I thanne what maner shal moun entre to the king, that now thretti daȝis am not clepid to hym? [verse 12] The whiche thing whan Mardoche [verse 13] hadde herd, eft he sente to Ester, seiende, Ne wene thou, that thi lif onli thou deli|uere, for in the hous of the king thou art, [verse 14] for alle Jewis; if thou holde [holdist AEFH.] thi pes, bi an other ocasioun the Jewis shul be deli|uered, and thou and the hous of thi fader shul pershen; and who knew, whether therfore to the reume thou came [come AEFH.] , that in such a time thou shuldest be redi? [verse 15] And eft Ester these woordis sente to [verse 16] Mardoche, Go, and gedere alle the Jewis, that in Susis thou findist, and preȝeth

for me; ne eteth, ne drinkith thre daȝes and thre nyȝt, and I with myn hond wymmen lic maner shal fasten; and thanne not clepid I shal gon in to the king, aȝen the lawe doende, takende me to deth and to perile. [verse 17] And so Mardoche wente, and dide alle thingus, that Ester hadde comaundid to hym.