¶ Esther entreth in to the kynge, and byddeth hym and Haman to the feast. Haman prepareth a galous for Mardocheus.
CAPI. V.
ANd on the thyrde daye it fortuned, that [unspec A] Esther put on her royall apparell, and stode in the courte of the kynges palace within, ouer agaynst the kynges house. And the kynge sat vpon his royal seat in the kyn{is} palace ouer agaynst the gate of the house. And when the kynge sawe Esther the quene standynge in the courte, she founde grace in his syght. And the kyng helde out the golden scepter that was in his hand toward Esther. So Esther stepte forth, and touched the top of the scepter.
Then sayde the kynge vnto her: What [unspec B] wylte thou quene Esther? and what requirest thou? aske euen the halfe of the empyre, and it shall be gyuen the. And Esther answered. Yf it please the kynge, let the kynge and Ha∣man come this daye vnto the banket, that I haue prepared for hym. And the kyng sayd: cause Haman to make hast, that he maye do as Esther hath sayd. So the kynge & Hamā came to the banket that Esther had prepa∣red, and the kynge sayde vnto Esther at the banket of wyne: what is thy peticyon? that it may be gyuen the. And what requirest thou? Yf it be euen the halfe of the empyre, it shall be done.
Then answered Esther, and sayde: my pe∣ticyon [unspec C] and desyre is, yf I haue founde grace in the syght of the kynge, and yf it please the kynge, to gyue me my peticyon, and to fulfyl my request, then let the kynge and Haman come to the banket that I shall prepare for them, & so wyll I do tomorowe, as the kyng hath sayde. Then went Haman forth the same daye ioyfull and merye in his mynde.
And when the same Haman sawe Mardo∣cheus in the kynges gate, that he stode not vp and kneled before hym, he was full of in dygnacyon at Mardocheus. Neuerthelesse / Haman refrayned hym selfe: and when he came home, he sent, & called for his frendes / and Zares his wyfe: and Haman tolde them of the glory of his ryches, and the multytude of his Chyldren, and all togyther howe the kynge had promoted hym so greatly, & howe that he had set hym aboue the Prynces and seruauntes of the kynge.
Haman sayde moreouer: Yea and Esther [unspec D] the quene dyd let no man come in with the kynge vnto the banket, that she had prepa∣red, excepte me / and tomorowe am I bydden vnto her also with the kynge. But in all this am I not satysfyed, as longe as I se Mar∣docheus the Iue syttyng at the kynges gate. Then sayde Zares his wyfe and all his fren¦des vnto hym: Let them make a galous of fyftye cubytes hygh, and tomorowe speake thou vnto the kyng, that Mardocheus may be hanged theron, & go thou in meryly with the kyng vnto the banket. And Haman was well content withall / and caused the galous to be made.