Study Desk

And the kynge loued Hester aboue all the wemen, and she founde grace and mercy in his sighte before all the virgins: and he set the quenes croune vpon hir heade, and made her quene in steade of Vasthi.

And the kynke made a greate feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes (which feast was because of Hester) and let the londes be in quyetnes, & gaue royall giftes.

After these actes dyd the kynge promote Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Agagite, vnd set him hye, & set his seate aboue all ye prynces that were with him.

Then toke the kynge his rynge from his hande, and gaue it vnto Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Agagite the Iewes enemie.

Whan Mardocheus perceaued all that was done, he rete his clothes, and put on a sack cloth, & a?shes, & wente out in to the myddes of the cite, and cried loude and lamentably,

So Mardocheus wente his waye, & dyd all yt Hester had comaunded him.

And on the thirde daye put Hester on hir royall apparell, and stode in the courte of ye kinges palace within ouer agaynst the kynges house. And ye kynge sat vpo his royall seate in ye kynges palace ouer agaynst ye dore of the house.

And whan the kynge sawe Hester the quene stodinge in the courte, she founde grace in his sighte. And ye kynge helde out the golde cepter in his hade towarde Hester. So Hester stepte forth, and touched the toppe of ye cepter.

Then wente Aman forth the same daye ioyfull and mery in his mynde. And whan he sawe Mardocheus in the kynges gate, yt he stode not vp and kneled before him, he was full of indignacion at Mardocheus.

Neuertheles he refrained himselfe: and wha he came home, he sent, and called for his fredes, and Seres his wyfe,

and tolde them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, all together how the kynge had promoted him so greatly, and how that he was taken aboue the prynces and seruauntes of the kynge.

Then sayde Seres his wife and all his frendes vnto him: Let the make a galowe of fiftye cubites hie, & tomorow speake thou vnto the kynge, that Mardocheus maye be hanged theron, yf thou comest merely with the kynge vnto the bancket. Aman was well content withall, and caused a galowe to be prepared.

And wha Ama came in, ye kinge saide vnto him: What shal be done vnto ye ma, whom the kynge wolde fayne brynge vnto worshippe? But Hama thought in his hert: Whom shulde the kynge els be glad to brynge vnto worshippe, but me?

that he maye be araied with the royall garmentes which the kynge vseth to weere: and the horse that the kynge rydeth vpon, and that the crowne royall maye be set vpon his heade.

and tolde Seres his wyfe and all his frendes, euery thynge that had happened him. Then sayde his wise men and Seres his wyfe vnto him: Yf it be Mardocheus of the sede of the Iewes, before who thou hast begonne to fall, thou canst do nothynge vnto him, but shalt fall before him.

The kynge Ahasuerus spake & saide vnto quene Hester: What is he that? Or where is he yt darre presume in his mynde to do soch a thinge after that maner?

And the kynge arose fro the bancket & fro ye wyne in his displeasure, and wente in to the palace garden. And Aman stode vp, and besoughte quene Hester for his life: for he sawe yt there was a mischauce prepared for him of the kynge allready.

And the kynge put of his fynger rynge, which he had taken from Aman, & gaue it vnto Mardocheus. And Hester set Mardocheus ouer the house of Aman.

And Hester spake yet more before the kynge, and fell downe at his fete, & besought him, that he wolde put awaye the wyckednes of Aman the Agagite, and his deuice that he had ymagined against ye Iewes.

and sayde: Yf it please the kynge, and yf I haue foude grace in his sight, & yf it be couenyent for the kinge, and yf it be accepted in his sighte, then let it be wrytte, yt the letters of the deuyce of Ama the sonne of Amadathai the Agagite, maie be called agayne: which letters he wrote, to destroie ye Iewes in all ye kynges lodes.