¶ Mardocheus moueth Hester to go into the Kynge / and make intercession for her people / and she performeth hys request.
CAPI. XV.
MArdocheus also bad Hester go in vnto [unspec A] the kyng, and praye for her people and for her countre. Remembre (sayeth he) the dayes of thy lowe estate, howe thou waste norished vnder my hand: For Aman which is next vnto the kynge, hath geuen sentence of death agaynst vs. Cal thou therfore vpō the Lorde, & speake for vs vnto the kynge / & deliuer vs from death And vpō the thyrde daye it happened / that Hester layed awaye the mournynge garmentes / and put on her gloryous apparel / & deckte her selfe goodly (after that she had called vpon God, which is y• beholder and Sauioure of al thinges) toke two maydes with her: vpō the one she leaned her selfe, as one that was tender: the other folowed her / and bare y• trayne of her vesture. The shyne of her bewtye made her face rose colored. The similitude of her face was chearfull & amiable / but her hert was sorowful for greate feare. She wēte in tho∣row al the dores, and stode before the kyng, The kynge sat vpon the trone of hys king∣dome, and was clothed in his goodly aray / all of golde, and set with precyous stones, & he was very terryble. He lyfte vp hys face / that shone in the clearnes, and loked grily vpon her. Then fel the Quene downe / was pale & faynt, leaned her selfe vpon the head of the mayde that went with her.
Neuertheles, God turned y• kinges mynde [unspec B] that he was gentle / yt he leaped oute of hys seate for feare, and gat her i hys armes, and held her vp tyll she came to her selfe againe He gaue her louing wordes also, and sayde vnto her: Hester / what is the matter? I am thy brother / be of good chere, thou shalt not dye: for our commaundement toucheth the comōs & not y•. Come nye. And with that he helde vp his golden rod / and layde it vpon her neck, and embraced her frendly / & sayd: talke with me. Then sayd she: ‡ I sawe y• (O Lorde) as an Angell of God, & my hert was troubled for feare of thy magesty and clear nesse: For excellent and wonderful art thou (O Lorde) and thy face is ful of amite. But as she was thus speakyng vnto him, she fel downe agayne for fayntnes: for the whiche