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 copy of the letters of Artaxerses agaist the Iewes. The prayer of Mardocheus.

CAPI. XIII.

THe great king Artaxerses which raig∣neth [unspec A] frō Iuda vnto Ethiopia, ouer an h••dreth and seuen & twentye lādes, sendeth his fredly salutacyon vnto all the Princes and debites of the countrees / which be sub∣iecte vnto hys domynion. When I was ma••e lord ouer many people, & had subdued the whole earthe vnto my domynyon / my mynde was not with crueltye and wronge to exalte my self by the reason of my power: but purposed with equyte alwaye and gen∣tylnes / to gouerne those that be vnder my iurisdiccyon / and wholy to set them in a pe∣ceable lyfe, and therby to brynge my Kyng∣dome vnto tranquilyte, that men might sa∣fely go thorowe on euery syde / and to renue peace agayne / which al men desyre. Nowe [unspec B] when I asked my coūcelers how these thin∣ges might be brough to a good ende / there was one by vs / excellēt in wysdome, whose good wyl / trueth / and faythfulnes hath oft bene shewed and proued (whiche was also y^• princypall and next vnto the kynge) Aman by name: which certifyed vs, how that in al lādes there was scatred abrode a rebellious folke, that made statutes & lawes agaynste all other people / and haue alwaye despysed the proclamed commaundementes of Kyn∣ges: and how that for thys cause it were not to be suffred, that such rule shulde contynue by you and not to be put downe. Seynge: [unspec C] now we perceaue the same, that this people alone are contrary vnto euery man / vsyng straūge and other maner of lawes / & with∣stande oure statutes and doinges, and go a∣boute to stablysh shrewed matters, that our kingdome shuld neuer come to good estate, and stedfastnes: Therfore haue we com∣maunded / that all they that are appoynted in wrytynge and shewed vnto you by Amā (whiche is ordeyned and set ouer all oure landes) and the most pryncypall nexte vnto the kynge, and in maner as a father) shal w^t theyr wyues and chyldren be destroyed and roted oute with the swerde of theyre ene∣myes and aduersaries: & that there shall be no mercy shewed / and no man spared. And this shalbe done the. xiiij. day of the mo••leth (called Adar) of thys yeare, that they which of olde (and now also) haue euer bene rebel∣lious / maye in one daye with vyolence be thrust downe into the hell, to the intent that after thys maner / oure empyre maye haue peace and tranquilite.

But Mardocheus thought vpon all the [unspec D] worckes and noble actes of the Lorde, and made his prayer vnto him, saying: O Lord Lorde, thou valeaunt and almyghty kinge (for al thinges are in thy power, and if thou wilt helpe & delyuer Israel, there is no man that can withstāde nor let the: for thou hast made heauen and earth / and what wonde∣rous thing so euer is vnder the heauē: thou art Lorde of all thinges, and there is no mā that can resist thy maiestye (O Lord) Thou knowest all thynges / thou woteste Lorde y^• it was nether of malice / nor presūpcion / nor for any desyre of glory, y^• I wolde not vowe downe my selfe nor worshyp yonder proude presumpteous Amā (for I wolde haue bene contente / & that with good wyl / yf it myght haue done Israel any good, to haue kist euē his fotsteppes) but that I dyd it, because I wolde not set the honour of a man in the steade of the glorye of God / and because I wolde worship none but onely y^• my Lorde. And thys haue I done in no pryde nor pre∣sūpcyon. And therfore O Lord thou God [unspec E] & kyng, haue mercy vpō thy people for they ymagin how they may bring vs to naught, yee their minde & desyre is to destroy and to ouerthrowe the people / that hath euer bene thyne enheritaūce of olde. O despise not thy porciō, which thou hast delyuered & brought oute of Egypte for thyne owne selfe. Heare my prayer / and be mercyfull vnto the peo∣ple, whom y^u hast chosen for an herytage vn to thy selfe. Turne oure complainte and so∣rowe into ioye, that we may lyue O Lorde / & prayse thy name. O Lorde / suffre not the mouthes of thē y^• prayse the, to be destroied.

All the people of Israell in lyke maner cryed as earnestly as they coulde vnto the Lord, for theyr death and destruccyon stode before theyr eyes.