The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

The boke of Esther

¶ Kynge Abasu••rns maketh a royall feasts, whereunto the quene Uasthi wyll not come, for which cause ••he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deuorsed.

CAPI. Primo.

IT fortuned in the dayes of [unspec A] Ahasuerus which reygned from Iudia vnto Ethiophia (ouer an hundreth and seuen and twentie landes) euen in those dayes when the kynge Ahasuerus sat on his seate royal / which was in Susan the cheyfe citye / in the thyrde yere of his reygne / he made a feaste vnto all his prynces and seruauntes. And the myghtye men of Persia & Media, the captaynes also and rulers of his countryes were before hym and he shewed the rychesse, and glorye of his kyngdome, and the gloryous worshyp of his greatnesse, many dayes longe, euen an hun∣dreth and foure score dayes.

And when these dayes were expyred / the [unspec B] kynge made a feast vnto all the people, that were in Susan the cheyfe Citye, bothe vnto great & small, seuen dayes longe in the court of the garden by the kynges place: where there hanged whyte, grene, & yelow clothes / fastened with cordes of fyne sylke, & purple in spluer rynges, vpon pyllers of Marble stone. The benches also were of gold & syluer made vpon a pauement of grene, whyte, ye∣lowe, and blacke Marble. And they dranke in vessels of golde, & chaunged vessell after vessell. And the kyng{is} wyne was moch, accor¦dynge to the power of the kynge. And the drynke was so appoynted that noone shulde compell any man, for so the kynge had com∣maunded by the offycers of his house, that euery one shulde do as it lyked hym. And the quene Uasthi made a feast also, for the wo∣men in the palace of Ahasuerus. And on the seuenth daye when the kyng was mery after the wyne, he cōmaunded Mehuman / Biztha Harbona / Bigtha / Abagthan / Zethar & Car chas, the seuen chamberlaynes (that dyd ser∣uice in the presence of kynge Ahasuerus) to fetch the quene Uasthi with the crowne regal into the kynges presence that he might shew the people and prynces her fayrnesse, for she was beautyfull.

But the quene Uasthi wolde not come at [unspec C] the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes. Then was the kynge very wroth, and his in∣dygnacyon kyndled in hym. And the kynge spake to the wyse men, that had vnderstan∣dynge in the ordynaunces of the lande / for the kynges matters must be handled before all soch as haue knowledge of the lawe and iudgement: and the ❀ (cheyfe and) nexte vnto hym were / Carsena / Sethar / Admata, That sis / Mares / Marsena, & Mamucan, the. vit prynces of Persia, and Media, whiche sawe the kynges face, & sat aboue in the kyngdom. What lawe (sayeth the kyng) shulde be exe∣cuted vpō the quene Uasthi / bycause she dyd not accordyng to the worde of the kyng Aha∣suerus, which he cōmaunded by his chamber laynes? And Memucan answered before the kynge & the prynces: the quene Uasthi hath not only done euyll agaynst the kynge / but also agaynst all the prynces & agaynst all the peple that are in all the landes of kyng Aha∣suerus: for this dede of the quene shall come [unspec D] abrode vnto all women, so that they shall despyse theyr husbandes before theyr eyes, & shall saye: the kynge Ahasuerus cōmaunded Uasthi the quene to be brought in before him but she wolde not come. And so shall the prin¦cesses in Persia, & Media say lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces, when they heare of this dede of the quene, thus shall there aryse to moch despytefulnesse & wrath. Yf it please the kynge therfore, let there go a cōmaunde∣ment from hym, & let it be wrytten accordyng to the lawes of the Persians & Medians (& not to be transgressed) that Uasthi come no more before kyng Ahasuerus, & let the kyng gyue her kyngdom vnto another, that is bet∣ter then she. And when this cōmaūdement of the kynge (which shall be made) is publys∣shed thorowout all his empyre (whiche is great) all women shall holde theyr husband{is} in honour both amonge great and small.

This pleased the kynge & the prynces: and the kyng dyd accordyng to the worde of Me∣mucan. For he sent letters forth in to all the kynges landes, into euery lande, accordynge to the wrytynge therof, and to euery people after theyr language, that euery man shulde be lorde in his owne house. And this caused he to be spoken after the language of his people.

¶ After the Quene is put away, certayne goodly pon•••• dau••▪ sel•• are searched out. Edissa (otherwyse called s••••••er) plea∣seth the kynge, and is made quene. Metdocheus openeth vn∣to the kynge / those that wolde betray hym.

CAPI. II.

AFter these actes, when the dyspleasure [unspec A] of kynge Ahasuerus was nowe layde, he thought vpon Uasthi, and what she had done, and what was concluded agaynst her. Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that minystred vnto hym: Let there be fayre yong virgyns sought for the kynge: and the kyng

appoynted certayne men in all the landes of his Empyre / whome he charged that they shulde brynge togyther all the fayre yonge virgyns vnto Susan the heade Citye, to the womens buyldyng, vnder the hand of Hagei the kynges chamberlayne, that kepte the wo¦men, to gyue them theyr apparel ❀ (and other thynges necessarye to be had.) And that the damsell whiche pleased the kynge shulde be quene in Uasthis steade. And this pleased the kynge, and he dyd so.

In the citye of Susan there was a Iue, whose name was Mardocheus, the sonne of Iaer, the son of Semei the son Cis, a man of Iemini, which was caryed away from Ieru∣salē, * 1.1 when Iekonia the kyng of Iuda was led away, (whom Nabuchodonozer the kyng of Babilon caryed thence) and he norysshed Hadassa (that is Esther) his vncles dough∣ter: for she had neyther father nor mother, & she was a fayre and beutyful damsel: whom Matdocheus (when her father and mother was deade) receyued for his owne doughter.

So it fortuned that when the kynges cō∣maūdement [unspec B] and cōmyssyon was publyshed, and many damsels were brought togyther in the citye of Susan vnder the hand of Ha∣gei, Esther was brought also vnto the kyng{is} house vnder the hande of Hagei the keper of the women, and the damsel pleased hym, and she founde fauour in his syght. And he cau∣sed ornamētes to be gyuen her & soch thyng{is} as belonged to her, and appoynted her seuen comly damsels out of the kynges house, and fauoured bothe her and her gentyll women syngularly in the house of the women. But Esther shewed not her peple and her kynted: for Mardocheus had charged her, that she shulde not tell it. And Mardocheus walked euery daye before the courte of the womens house, that he myght know how Esther dyd, and what shulde become of her. And when the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came / that she shulde go in to the kyng Ahasuerus, after that she had ben twelue monethes in the deckynge of the women (for theyr dec∣kynge must haue so moch tyme) namely syxe monethes with Balme and Myrre, and syxe monethes with good spyces (so were the wo∣men beautifyed) then went there one damsell vnto the kyng, and whatsoeuer she requyred ❀ (so that it vvere comely) that must be gy∣uen her to go with her out of the womens buyldynge vnto the kynges palace.

In the euenyng she went, and on the mo∣rowe [unspec C] agayne in to the seconde house of the women abydyng vnder the hand of Saasgas the kynges chamberlayne, whiche kepte the concubynes. And she came in vnto the kyng no more excepte it pleased the kynge to haue her, and that he called her by name.

Nowe when the tyme came of Esther the doughter of Abihan the vncle of Mardo∣cheus (whiche had receyued her as his owne doughter) that she shuld come into the kyng, she desyred nothynge, but what Hagei the kynges chamberlayne the keper of the wo∣men sayde. And Esther founde fauoure in the syght of all them that loked vpon her. And Esther was taken vnto kynge Ahasu∣erus into his house royall / in the tenth mo∣neth whiche is the moneth * 1.2 Tebeth, in the seuenth yere of his reygne. And the kyng lo∣ued Esther aboue all the women, & she found grace and fauour in his syght before all the virgins: so that he set the crowne of the kyng¦dome vpon her heade, and made her quene in steade of Uasthi.

And the kynge made a greate feast vnto [unspec D] all his prynces and seruauntes (which feast was bycause of Esther) and caused the land{is} to be in quyetnesse, and gaue gyftes, as be∣came the ryoaltye of a kynge. And when the virgyns were gathered togyther the seconde tyme, Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate. And as yet had not Esther shewed her kyn∣red and her people, accordynge as Mardo∣cheus had bydden her: for Esther dyd after the word of Mardocheus, lyke as yf she had ben yet vnder his gouernaunce. At the same tyme, whyle Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate, two of the kyng{is} chamberlaynes Byg∣than and Theres which kepte the dore, were wroth, and sought to laye theyr handes on the kynge Ahasuerus: wherof also Mardo∣cheus gat knowledge, * 1.3 & tolde it vnto quene Esther, and Esther certifyed the kynge ther∣of in Mardocheus name. And when inquisi∣cion was made, it was founde so. And they were bothe hanged on tree: and it was wryt∣ten in the Cronicles before the kynge.

¶ Haman the Maridonian, after he was eralted, obteyned of the kynge that all the Iues shulde be put to death, bycause Mardocheus had not done hym worshyp, as other had.

CAPI. III.

AFter these actes dyd the kynge Ahasu∣erus [unspec A] promote Haman the son of Ama∣datha the Agagite, and set hym hygh / and set his seate aboue all the Prynces that he had with hym. And all the kynges seruaū¦tes that were in the kyng{is} gate, bowed theyr knees, and worshypped Haman: for the kyng had so commaunded concernynge hym. But Mardocheus bowed not the knee, and wor∣shypped

hym not. Then the kyng{is} seruaūtes whiche were in the kynges gate, sayde vnto Mardocheus: why transgressest thou the kynges commaundement? And when they spake thus dayly vnto hym, he folowed them not, and they tolde Haman, that they myght se howe Mardocheus matters wold endure: for he had tolde them, that he was a Iue.

And when Haman sawe that Mardocheus [unspec B] bowed not the knee vnto hym, nor worshyp∣ped hym, he was full of indygnacyon, and thought it to lyttell to laye handes onelye on Mardocyeus: for they had shewed him the na¦cyon of Mardocheus, wherfore he sought to destroy all the Iues, that were thorowout the hole empyre of Ahasuerus, and that were of the nacyon of Mardocheus. In the fyrst mo¦neth (that is the moneth Nisan) in the twelfe yere of kyng Ahasuerus they cast Phur (that is a lot) before Haman from daye to day, and from moneth to moneth, to the twelueth mo∣neth that is the moneth Adar.

And Haman sayd vnto kyng Ahasuerus: [unspec C] There is here a people scattered abrode, and dyspersed amonge all peple in all the landes of thyne empyre, and they haue theyr lawes / contrary from all peple, and do not after the kynges lawes, neyther is it the kyng{is} profet to suffre them after this maner. If it please the kynge, let it be wrytten, that they may be destroyed, and so wyl I weye downe ten thou¦sand talentes of syluer, by the handes of the workemen / to be brought in to the kynges treasure. And the kynge toke his rynge from his hande, and gaue it vnto Haman the son of Amidatha the Agagite, the Iues enemye. And the kynge sayde vnto Haman: Let the syluer be gyuen the, and do with that people as it pleaseth the.

Then were the kynges scrybes called on [unspec D] the. xiii. daye of the fyrst moneth ( ❀ * 1.4Nisan) and there was wrytten (accordynge as Ha∣man cōmaunded) vnto all the kynges offy∣cers and to the captaynes that were in al the landes, and to the rulers of euery people in the countryes on euery syde, accordynge to the wrytyng of euery nacyon, and after theyr language, in the name of kynge Ahasuerus was it wrytten, and sealed with the kynges rynge. And the wrytyng{is} were sent by nostes in to al the kynges landes, to rote out, ••••kyl and to destroye all Iues, bothe yonge & 〈◊〉〈◊〉, chyldren and women in one day (namely ••••ō the thyrtenth daye of the twelueth moneth / whiche is the moneth * 1.5 Adar) and to spoyle theyr goodes. This was the summe of the wrytynge / that there shulde be a cōmaunde∣ment gyuen in all landes, & publyshed vnto all people, that they shulde be redy agaynst the same daye. And the postes went in all the hast, accordynge to the kynges commaunde∣ment. And in Susan the cheyfe citye was the cōmaundement deuysed. And the kyng and Haman sat and dranke: when in the meane tyme the citye of Susan was disquieted.

¶ Mardocheus gyueth the quene knowledge of the cruell decre•• of the kynge agaynst the Iues.

CAPI. IIII.

WHen Mardocheus perceyued all that [unspec A] was done, he rent his clothes and put on sackecloth, with asshes / and went out in to the myddes of the Citye, and cryed loude and lamentably, and came before the kynges gate: but he myght not enter w^tin the kyng{is} gate, bycause he had sacke cloth on. And in al landes, countryes, and places, as farre as the kynges worde and cōmaūdement extended / there was greate lamentacyon amonge the Iues, fastynge, wepynge, and mournynge / and many laye in sack clothes and in asshes. So Esthers damsels and her chamberlaynes came and tolde it her. Then was the quene excedynly astonyed. And she sent rayment / that Mardocheus shuld put on, and laye the sack cloth from hym.

But Mardocheus wolde not take them. [unspec B] Then called Esther Hathath one of the kyn∣ges chamberlaynes (whiche stode before her) and gaue him a cōmaundement vnto Mar∣docheus / that he myght know what it were / wherfore he dyd so. So Hathath went forth to Mardocheus vnto the strete of the Citye / whiche was before the kynges gate. And Mardocheus tolde hym of all that had happened vnto hym, and of the summe of syl¦uer that Haman had promised to they down•• in to the kyng{is} treasury, bycause of the Iues yf he wolde destroye them (and he gaue hym the copye of the kynges cōmaundement, that was deuysed at Susan / to destroye them / that he myght shewe it vnto Esther, and to speake to her, and charge her / that she shulde go in to the kynge, and make her prayer and supplycacyon vnto hym for her people.

And when Hathath came in, he tolde Esther [unspec C] the wordes of Mardocheus. And agayne, Esther spake vnto Hathath, and cōmaunded hym to saye to Mardocheus: all the kynges seruauntes, and the people in the landes of the kyng, know that whosoeuer cōmeth with in the courte vnto the kynge, whyther it be man or woman, whiche is not called, the com¦maundement is, that the same shall dye, ex∣cepte the kynge holde out the golden scepter

vnto hym ❀ (in token of graciousnes) for then he shall lyue. As for me, I haue not ben cal∣led to come into the kynge nowe this thyrtye dayes. And they certifyed Mardocheus of Esthers wordes, and Mardocheus bad saye agayn vnto Esther, thynke not to saue thyne [unspec D] owne lyfe, whyle thou art in the kyng{is} house before all Iues: for yf thou holdest thy peace at this tyme, then shall the Iues haue helpe and delyueraunce out of another place, and thou and thy fathers house shalbe destroyed.

And who knoweth whyther thou art come to the kyngdom, for this causes sake? Esther bad them gyue Mardocheus this answere: Go thou thy waye, and gyther togyther all the Iues that are founde at Susan, and fast ye for me, that ye eate not and drynke not in thre dayes, neyther day nor nyght. I and my damsels wyll fast lykewyse, and so wyll I go in to the kynge, which thynge yet, is contra∣rye to the cōmaundement: and yf I peryshe / I peryshe. So Mardocheus went his way / and dyd all that Esther had cōmaūded hym.

¶ 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.

¶ The kynge turneth ouer the Cronicles, and fyndeth the fidelite of Mardocheus: and then to the confusion of Ha∣man, cōmaundeth Mardocheus to be had in honoure.

CAPI. VI.

THe same nyght coulde not the Kynge [unspec A] slepe, and he cōmaunded to brynge the cronicles and storyes: which when they were red before the kynge, they happened on the place where it was wrytten, howe * 1.6 Mar¦docheus had tolde that Bigthana, & Theres the kynges two chamberlaynes (which kept the thressholdes) sought, to laye handes on kynge Ahasuerus. And the kyng sayd: what worshyppe and good haue we done to Mar∣docheus therfore? Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that minystred vnto hym: There is nothyng at all done for him. And the kyng sayde: Who is in the courte? (For Haman was gone in to the courte without before the kynges house, that he myght speake vnto the kynge to hange Mardocheus on the tre, that he had prepared for hym.)

And the kynges seruauntes sayde vnto [unspec B] hym: behold, Haman standeth without in the

courte. And the kynge sayd: let hym come in. And when Haman came in, the kynge sayde vnto hym: what shall be done vnto the man / whome the kynge wolde fayne brynge vnto worshyp? Haman thought in his hert: whom desyreth the kynge to brynge vnto worshyp, more then me? And Haman answered the kynge. Let the man whome the kynge plea∣seth to brynge vnto worshyppe, be brought hyther, that he may be arayed with the royal garmentes which the kynge vseth to weare: and the horse that the kyng rydeth vpon, and that the crowne royall maye be set vpon his heade. And let this rayment and horse be de∣lyuered [unspec C] vnder the hande of one of the gyng{is} prynces, that they maye aray the man withal (whome the kynge is disposed to brynge to honoure) and cary hym vpon the horse tho∣rowe the strete of the citye, and proclame be∣fore hym: thus shall it be done to the man / whome the kynge pleaseth to brynge to ho∣noure. And the kynge sayde: make hast, and take as thou hast sayde, the rayment and the horse: and do euen so vnto Mardocheus the Iue, that sytteth before the kynges gate, and let nothynge fayle of all that thou haste spo∣ken. Then toke Haman the rayment and the horse, and arayed Mordocheus, and brought hym on horsebacke thorowe the strete of the citye, and proclamed before hym: Euen thus shal it be done vnto the man whom the kyng is dysposed to honour.

And Mardocheus came agayne to the kyn¦ges [unspec D] gate, but Haman gat him home in al the hast mournynge bare headed, and tolde Za∣res his wyfe and al his frendes, euery thyng that had happened hym. Then sayd his wyse men and Zares his wyfe vnto hym: Yf it be Mardocheus, of the sede of the Iues, before whom thou hast begon to fall, thou shalt not preuayle agaynst hym, but shalte surely fall before him. And whyle they were yet talkyng with hym, came the kynges chamberlaynes, and caused Haman to make hast, to come vn to the banket that Esther had prepared.

¶ The quene bydde•••• the kynge and Haman agayne: and prayeth for her selfe, and for her people. She accuseth Ha∣man, and he is hanged on the galous, whiche he had pre∣pared for Mardocheus.

CAPI. VII.

ANd the kynge and Haman came in to [unspec A] the banket that quene Esther had pre∣pared, and the kynge sayd vnto Esther on the seconde daye, at the banket of wyne: what is thy peticyon (quene Esther) that it may be gyuen the? And what requirest thou? yea, aske euen halfe of the empyre, and it shal be done. And Esther the quene answered, and sayde: If I haue founde grace in thy syght (O kynge) and yf it please the kynge, then graunt me my lyfe at my desyre, and my peo∣ple, for my peticyons sake: for we are solde, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be sleyne, and to peryshe.

And wolde God we were solde to be bond¦men [unspec B] and bondwomen, then wolde I holde my tongue: For the enemye pondreth not the kynges harme. The kynge Ahasuerus ans∣wered, and sayde vnto quene Esther: who is he? And where is he, that dare presume in his mynde, to do after that maner? And Esther sayde: the enemye and aduersary is this wyc∣ked Hamā, Haman, was excedyngly afrayed before the kynge and the quene.

And the kynge arose from the banket and [unspec C] from the wyne in his displeasure, and wente in to the palace garden. And Hamā stode vp, and besought quene Esther for his lyfe: for he saw, that there was a myscheyfe prepared for hym of the kynge alredy. And when the kyng came agayne out of the palace garden in to the place where they dranke wyne, Hamā had layde hym vpō the bed, that Esther sat vpon

Then sayde the kynge: wyll he force the [unspec D] quene also before me in the house? As soone as that worde went out of the kynges mouth ☞ they couered Hamans face. And Harbo∣na one of the chamberlaynes that stode be∣fore the kynge, sayd. Beholde, there standeth a galous in Hamans house fyftye cubytes hygh, whiche he had made for Mardocheus, that spake good for the kynge. The kynge sayde: hange hym theron. So they hanged Haman on the galous / that he had made for Mardocheus. Then was the kynges wrath pacifyed.

¶ After the death of Haman is Mardocheus exalted, and then is there comfortable wordes sent vnto the Iues.

CAPI. VIII.

THe same daye dyd Kynge Ahasuerus [unspec A] gyue the house of Haman, the Iues enemye, vnto quene Esther. And Mar∣docheus came before the kynge: For Esther tolde, howe that he belonged vnto her, And the kynge put of his fynger rynge, which he had taken from Haman, and gaue it vnto Mardocheus. And Esther set Mardocheus ouer the house of Haman. And Esther spake yet more before the kynge: and fell downe at his fete wepynge, and besought hym, that he wolde put awaye the wyckednesse of Haman the Agagite, and his deuyce that he had yma¦gyned agaynst the Iues.

And the kyng ❀ (accordyng to the maner,) [unspec B] helde out the golden scepter towarde Esther.

❀ (vvherby vvas declared a token of gracious∣nesse.) Then rose Esther, and stode before the kynge, and sayde: yf it please the kynge, and yf I haue founde grace in his syght, and yf it be acceptable before the kynge, then let it be wrytten, that the letters of the deuyce of Haman the Sonne of Hamadatha the Aga∣gite, may be called agayne: whiche letters he wrote, to destroye the Iues, whiche are in all the kynges landes. For howe can I suffer and se the euyll, that shall happen vnto my people? Or how can I loke vpon the destruc∣cyon of my kynred?

And the kyng Ahasuerus sayd vnto quene [unspec C] Esther, & to Mardocheus the Iue: Behold / I haue gyuen Esther the house of Haman / whome they haue hanged vpon a tree, by∣cause he layde hande vpon the Iues. Wryte ye also for the Iues, as it lyketh you in the kynges name, and seale it with the kynges rynge (for the wrytynges that were wrytten in the kyng{is} name, and sealed with the kyn∣ges rynge, durst no man dysanull.) Then were the kynges Scrybes called at the same tyme, euen in the thyrde moneth, that is the moneth* 1.7 Siuan, on the thre and twentyeth daye. And it was wrytten (accordynge to all as Mardocheus cōmaūded) vnto the Iues, and to the prynces, to the Debityes and cap∣taynes in the landes whiche are from India vntyll Ethiopia, namely an hundred and se∣uen and twentye landes / vnto euery one ac∣cordynge to the wrytynge therof, and vnto euery people after theyr speche, & to the Iues accordynge to theyr wrytyng and language. And he wrote in the kynge Ahasuerus name, and sealed it with the kynges rynge. And by postes that roode vpon horses, and swyfte yonge Mules, sent he the wrytynges, wher∣in the kynge graunted the Iues (in what ci∣tyes soeuer they were) to gather them selues togyther, and to stande for theyr lyfe, and for to rote out, to sley, & to destroye all the power of the people, and lande that wolde trouble them, with chyldren and women, & to spoyle theyr good vpon one daye in all the landes of kynge Ahasuerus, namely vpon the thyr∣tenth daye of the twelueth moneth, whiche is the moneth * 1.8 Adar.

The sūme of the wrytyng was, how there [unspec D] shulde be a cōmaundement gyuen in all lan¦des and publysshed amonge all people, and that the Iues shulde be redye agaynst that day, and to auenge themselues on theyr ene∣myes. And so the postes that rode vpon the swyfte horses and Mules, made hast with all spede, to execute the kynges worde: and the cōmaundement was deuysed in Susan the cheyfe Citye. And Mardocheus went out ❀ (from the palace, and) from the kyng in royal apparell of yelowe and whyte, and with a great crowne of golde, beynge arayed with a garment of sylke and purple, and the citye of Susan reioysed, and was gladde: and vnto the Iues there was come ❀ (a nevv) lyght and gladnesse, ioye and worshyp. In all lan∣des and cityes, in to what places soeuer the kynges worde and cōmaundement reached, there was ioye and myrth, prosperyte & good dayes amonge the Iues: in so moche, that many of the people in the land became of the Iues bylefe / and the feare of the Iues came vpon them.

¶ At the cōmaundement of the kynge the Iues put theyr ad∣uersaryes to death. The sonnes of Haman are hanged. The Iues kepe a feast daye in the remembraunce of theyr delyue∣raunce.

CAPI. IX.

IN the twelueth moneth, that is the mo∣neth [unspec A] Adar / vpon the thyrtenth daye of the same, when the kynges worde and cōmaū¦demente shulde be done, euen vpon the same daye that the enemyes shuld haue destroyed the Iues to haue oppressed them, it turned contrary wyse / euen that the Iues shuld sub due theyr enemyes. For then gathered the Iues togyther in theyr cityes within all the landes of kynge Ahasuerus, to laye hande on soche as wolde do them euyll, and no man coulde withstande them: for the feare of them was come ouer all people. And all the rulers in the landes, and prynces & Debityes / and offycers of the Kynge, promoted the Iues: for the feare of Mardocheus came vpō them For Mardocheus was greate in the kynges house, and the reporte of hym was noysed in all landes, howe he increased and grewe.

Thus the Iues smote all theyr enemyes [unspec B] with a sore slaughter, and slue & destroyed / and dyd after theyr wyll vnto soche as were theyr aduersaryes. And at Susan the cheyfe citye slue the Iues, and destroyed fyue hun∣dreth men: and slue Pharsandatha, Dalphō Asphatha / Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Phar¦mastha / Arisai / Aridai, and Uaizatha, the ten sonnes of Haman the sonne of Hamadatha the enemye of the Iues: but on his goodes they layde no handes. At the same tyme was the kynge certyfyed of the nombre of those that were sleyne in the citye of Susan.

And the kynge sayde vnto quene Esther: The Iues haue sleyne & destroyed fyue hun∣dreth men in the citye of Susan, & the ten son∣nes, of Haman: What haue they done thyn∣kest thou in the other landes of the kynge?

And what is thy peticion, that it maye be [unspec C] gyuen the? or what requyrest thou more to be done? Esther answered. If it please the kyng, let hym suffer the Iues to morowe also to do accordyng vnto this dayes cōmaundement, that they maye hange Hamans ten sonnes vpon the tre. And the kyng charged to do so, and the cōmaundement was deuysed at Su¦san, and they hanged Hamans ten sonnes. For the Iues that were in Susan gathered them selues togither, vpon the fourtenth day of the moneth Adar, & slue thre hundred men at Susan, but on theyr goodes they layde no handes. As for the other Iues that were in the kynges landes, they came togyther, and stode for theyr lyues, that they myght haue rest from theyr enemyes: and slue of theyr ene¦myes fyue and seuentye thousande, howbeit, they layde no hande on theyr goodes.

This they dyd on the thyrtenth day of the [unspec D] moneth Adar, and on the fourtenth daye of the same moneth rested they, whiche day they helde with feastynge and gladnesse. But the Iues that were at Susan, came togyther both on the thyrtenth day & on the fourtenth, & on the fyftenth day of the same they rested, and helde the daye with feastynge and glad∣nesse. And therfore the Iues that dwelte in the villages and vnwalled townes, helde the fourtenth day of the moneth Adar, with glad¦nesse and feastynge, and kepte holy day, and euery one sent gyftes vnto an other.

And Mardocheus wrote these actes, and sent the wrytynges vnto all the Iues that were in all the landes of kynge Ahasuerus, both nygh and farre that they shulde make a lawe among themselues and holde the four∣tenth or fyftenth day of the moneth Adar, as the dayes wherin the Iues came to rest from theyr enemyes, & as a moneth wherin theyr payne was turned to ioye, and theyr sorowe into a holy day, and that in those dayes they shulde make feastes and gladnesse, and one to sende gyftes vnto an other, and to distri∣bute vnto the poore.

And the Iues were contente with it that [unspec E] they had begon to do, and that Mardocheus wrote vnto them: how that Haman the sonne of Hamadatha all the Iues enemye; had de∣uysed agaynst the Iues, howe he myght de∣stroy them, and caused to cast Phur (that is a lot) for to put them in feare, and to brynge them to nought: and howe Esther went, and spake to the kynge, that thorowe letters his wycked deuyce (which he ymagined agaynst the Iues) myght be turned vpon his owne heade, and howe he and his sonnes were han¦ged on the tree. For the whiche cause they cal¦led this day Phurim, bycause of the name of the lot, and bycause of all the wordes of this wrytynge: & what they them selues had sene, and what had happened vnto them.

And the Iues set it vp, and toke it vpon [unspec F] them and theyr seede, and vpon all suche as ioyned themselues vnto them, that they wold not mysse but obserue these two dayes yerely accordyng as they were wrytten and appoyn¦ted, how that these dayes are not to be forgot¦ten, but to be kepte of chyldrens chyldren a∣mong all kynreds in all landes and cityes. They are the dayes of Phurim, whiche are not to be ouerslypte amonge the Iues, & the memorial of them ought not to peryshe from theyr sede. And quene Esther the doughter of Abihail & Mardocheus the Iue wrote with all auctorite (to confirme this seconde wry∣tynge of Phurim) and sent the letters vnto all the Iues in the hundred & seuen & twentie landes of the Empyre of Ahasuarus, with frend••ly and faythfull wordes, to confirme these dayes of Phurim, in theyr tyme appoyn¦ted, accordyng as Mardocheus the Iue and Esther the quene had appoynted them.

And they bounde theyr soule & theyr seede [unspec G] to fastynge, & prayer. And Esther stablysshed the wordes of these lottes, as it is wrytten in the boke. And the kyng Ahasuerus layde tri∣bute vpon the land, and vpon the Iles of the see. And all that he dyd by his power & aucto¦rite, and the great worshyp of Mardocheus whiche the kynge gaue hym, be they not wryt¦ten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Media and Persia? For Mardocheus the Iue was the seconde nexte vnto kyng Ahasuerus, and great among the Iues, and accepted among the multitude of the brethren, as one that se∣keth the welthe of his people, and speaketh the best for all his seede.

The ende of the boke of Esther.

Notes

• * 1.1

  i. Reg. 24. c Iere. 24. ••.
• * 1.2

  December▪
• * 1.3

  Esther ••
• * 1.4

  ••e••••he.
• * 1.5

  〈…〉〈…〉uary.
• * 1.6

  〈…〉〈…〉. ••.
• * 1.7

  Ma••e.
• * 1.8

  February.