Wycliffe (Early) [1850], THE HOLY BIBLE, CONTAINING THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, WITH THE APOCRYPHAL BOOKS, IN THE EARLIEST ENGLISH VERSIONS MADE FROM THE LATIN VULGATE BY JOHN WYCLIFFE AND HIS FOLLOWERS: Edited by THE REV. JOSIAH FORSHALL, F.R.S. etc. Late Fellow of Exeter College, and SIR FREDERIC MADDEN, K.H. F.R.S. etc. Keeper of the MSS. in the British Museum (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, OXFORD) [word count] [B02010].
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ESTHER.
[Prologue on the book of Esther.]
This book of Hester, the qween, makith mynde of the ri&yogh;tful Mardochee, and of the
wickide man Aman, how he castide the deeth of Mardochee, and also of alle Jewis, for
hate that he hadde to Mardochee; wherfor thoru&yogh; the help of God and of the qween
Hester his wickidnesse was retourned in to his owne heed; for God helpith hem that
tristen in him, and lyuen iustli in the drede of him.
Here bigynneth a prolog on the booc of Ester.
`The boc of Ester to be maad vicious of dyuerse translatoures is knowen, whom I,
of the libraries of Ebrues takende vp, woord bi woord more openli translatide; the
whiche boc the comun making drawith along hider and thider with the torne dra&yogh;tis,
addende thoo thingis, that `of tyme my&yogh;ten ben seid and herd; as it is wont to scoleris
disciplines, and a theme taken, to out thenke what woordis he my&yogh;te vsen, he that
suffride wrong, or he that dide wrong. &YOGH;ee forsothe, O! Paule and Eustache, that onli
han studied to gon in to the libraries of Ebrues, and the striues of interpretoures han
knowen, holdende Ester an Ebru boc, beholdeth bi alle the woordis oure translacioun;
that &yogh;ee moun knowen me no thing also to han encresid addende, but with trewe witnessing
simpleli, as it is had in Ebreu, the Ebru storie to han taken to Latin tunge.
Ne we desiren the preisingus of men, ne blamingus wee dreden. Forsothe wee besiende
to plesen to God, vtterli wee drede not the thretis of men; for God scatereth the bones
of hem that desiren to plesen to men, and, after the apostil, they, that suche men ben,
moun not ben the seruauns of Crist. Ferthermor in the boc of Ester wee han maad an
abece of red colour vnto the ei&yogh;the lettre in diuers placis, willende, that is, the order of
the seuenti interpretoures bi these thingus to shewen a wijs redere; we forsothe after
the maner han leuere, and in the making of the seuenti remenoures, to pursue the
order of Ebrues.
Here endith the prolog of Hester, and now bigynneth the book.
-- --
Hesther.
CAP. I.
1 In the da&yogh;es of king Assueri, that
regnede fro Jude vnto Ethiope, vp on an
hundrid and seuene and twenti prouynces,
2 whan he sat in the see of his
regne, Susa cyte was the begynnyng of
his rewme.
3 The thridde thanne &yogh;er of
his empire he made a gret feste to alle
the princis, and to his most strong childre
of Persis, and of Meedis, to the noble
men, and to the prefectus of prouincis, beforn
hym,
4 that he shewe the richesses of
the glorie of his regne, and the mykilnesse,
and the bost of his power myche
tyme, an hundrid, that is, and foure score
da&yogh;es.
5 And whan the da&yogh;es of the feste
weren ful endid, he bad al the puple that
is founde in Susys, fro the moste vnto the
leste; and he comaundede seuene da&yogh;es a
feste to be maad redi in the vestiarie of
the &yogh;erd and of the wode, that was sett
togidere with the kingis enournyng and
hond.
6 And ther heengen on eche side
tentis of the colour of the eir, and of
goldene colour, and of iacinctin, sustened
with bijs cordis, and purper, that weren
inset with yuer cerclis, and thei weren
vnderset with marbil pileeris; also goldene
setis and siluerene vp on the raied pament
smaragd and pario stones weren
disposid; the whiche thing the peynteur
with wonder diuersete made fair.
7 Forsothe
thei, that weren biden, drunken of
goldene cuppis, and with other and othere
vesselis metis weren bro&yogh;t in; win also, as
it was wrthi for the kingis grete doing,
-- --
plente and chef was set.
8 And ther was
not that constreynede to drinke hem that
wolden not; but so the king hadde ordeyned,
befor settende sunder men of his
princis to the bord, that eche man shulde
take that he wolde.
9 Also Vasthi, the
quen, made a feste of wymmen in the
paleis, wher king Assuer was wont to
dwelle.
10 And so the seuenthe dai, whan
he was gladere cherid, and after to myche
drinking was chaufid with win, he comaundede
to Naumam, and Baracha, and
Arbana, and Gabatha, and Zarath, and
Abgatha, and Carthas, seuene geldingis,
that in his si&yogh;te mynystreden,
11 that thei
shulden bringen in Vasthi, the quen, befor
the king, put vp on hir hed a diademe,
that he shewe to alle `princis and
puplis the fairnesse of hir; forsothe she
was ful fair.
12 The whiche forsoc, and at
the kings heste, that bi the geldingis he
hadde comaundid, she dispiside to comen.
Wherfore the king wroth, and with
myche wodnesse tend,
13 askide the wise
men, that of the kingis maner euermor
weren nee&yogh; to hym, and dide alle thingus
bi the counseil of hem, kunnende the
lawe and the ri&yogh;tis of more men;
14 forsothe
the firste and the nexte weren Carcena,
and Secaba, Admatha, and Tharsis,
and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamucha,
seuene dukis of Persis and of Medis, that
se&yogh;en the face of the king, and first after
hym weren wont to sitten;
15 to what sentence
quen Vasthi shulden vnderlyn, that
the heste of king Assuer, the whiche bi
geldingis he hadde sent, she wolde not
do.
16 And Manucha answerde, herende
the king and the princis, Not onli quen
Vasthi hath greued the king, but alle
the princis and puplis, that ben in alle
the prouyncis of king Assuer.
17 Forsothe
-- --
the woord of the quen shal gon out to
alle wymmen, that thei dispise ther husbondis,
and seyn, King Assuer comaundide,
that Vasthi, the quen, shulde gon in
to hym, and she wolde not.
18 And bi this
exsaumple alle the wiues of princis of
Persis and of Medis shuln dispise the
hestis of ther husbondis; wherfore ri&yogh;twis
is the kingis indignacioun.
19 If it
plese to thee, go ther out a maundement
fro thi face, and be it writen after
the lawe of Persis and of Medis, the
whiche to ouerpassen is vnleeful, that
no more Vasthi go in to the king, but
his reume an other, that is betere than
she, take.
20 And this be puplishid in eche
empire of thi prouynce, that is most brod,
that alle wyues, bothe of more and of
lasse, bere to ther husbondis wrshipe.
21 And his counseil pleside to the king and
to the princis; and the king dide after
the counseil of Manucha,
22 and sente epistelis
bi alle prouyncis of his reume, that
eche folc heren and reden my&yogh;te, with
diuerse tungis and lettris, men to be
princis and more men in ther housis;
and that bi alle puplis to be pupplisht.
CAP. II.
1 And so these thingus don, after that
the indignacioun of king Assuer fro feruour
hadde passid, he recordide of Vasthi,
and what she hadde do, and what she
hadde suffrid.
2 And the childer and his
mynystris seiden to the king, Be ther
-- --
so&yogh;t to the king child wymmen, maidenes
and faire;
3 and be ther sent, that beholden
bi alle prouyncis faire child wymmen
and maidenes; and bringe thei hem to
Susa cite, and take thei in to the hous of
wymmen, vnder the hond of Egei, gelding,
that is prouost and kepere of the
kingus wymmen; and take thei wymmenus
ournemens, and othere thingus
to vse necessarie.
4 And who euere among
alle to the e&yogh;en of the king shal plese,
she regne for Vasthi. The woord pleside
to the king; and so as thei hadden
moued, he comaundide to be do.
5 Ther
was forsothe a Jew man in the cite of
Susis, Mardoche bi name, the sone of
Jair, sone of Semei, sone of Cis, of the
linage of Gemyny;
6 that was translatid
fro Jerusalem that time that Nabugodonosor,
king of Babiloyne, hadde translatid
Jeconye, the king of Juda;
7 the
whiche was the nurse of the do&yogh;ter of
his brother, Edisse, that bi an other name
was clepid Ester, and either fader and
moder hadde laft, ful myche fair, and
semeli in face; and hir fader and moder
dead, Mardoche clepid hir to hym in to
do&yogh;ter.
8 And whanne the maundement of
the king more wex knowen, and after his
heste manye faire maidenes were bro&yogh;t to
Susem, and to Egeo, gelding, wer taken,
Ester also among othere child maidenes
is take to hym, that she wer kept in
the noumbre of wymmen.
9 The whiche
pleside to hym, and fond grace in his
si&yogh;te, that he shulde he&yogh;en the wymmen
enournyng, and &yogh;eue to hir hir partis
and seuene most faire child wymmen of
the hous of the king; and bothe hir and
hir dameselis she shulde enournen and
ara&yogh;en.
10 The whiche wolde not to hym
-- --
shewe the puple and hir kuntre; forsothe
Mardoche hadde comaundid to hir, that
of this thing vtterli she shulde holde hir
pes.
11 The whiche wente eche dai befor
the vestiarie of the hous, in the whiche
chosene maidenes weren kept, doende
cure of the helthe of Ester, and willende
to witen, what to hir shulde falle.
12 And
whan tyme was comen of alle the child
wymmen by order, that thei shulden gon
in to the king, alle thingus fulfild that
to wymmenys enournyng pertende, the
twelfthe moneth was turned ouer; so onli
that sixe monethis thei shulde ben enoynt
with myrtine oile, and othere sixe thei
shulden vse maner pimentis and swote
spice.
13 And goende in to the king, whateuere
thei hadden askid pertenende to
ournyng, thei token; and, as it to them
hadde plesid, enourned, of the chaumbre
of wymmen to the kingus priue chaumbre
wenten.
14 And she that cam in at euen,
wente oute at morn; and thennes in to
the secounde housis weren bro&yogh;t, that
weren vnder the hond of gelding Zagazi,
that stod before to the secoundarie wyues
of the king; and she hadde no power of
turnyng a&yogh;een more to the king, but if
the king wolde, and hir hadde comaundid
to come bi name.
15 Forsothe the tyme
turned ouer bi order, the dai stood, in
that Ester, the do&yogh;ter of Abihael, brother
of Mardoche, whom to hym he hadde
clepid in to do&yogh;ter, shulde gon in to the
king; the whiche so&yogh;te not wymmenes
enournyng, but whateuere thing wolde
Egee, gelding, the kepere of maidenes,
thoo thingis to hir to enournyng he &yogh;af;
forsothe she was ful semeli, and with
vntrouable fairnesse, and to the e&yogh;en of
-- --
alle men gracious and loouesum was seen.
16 And so she is lad to the priue chaumbre
of king Assuer, the tenthe moneth, that
is clepid Thebeth, that is, Januer, the
seuenthe &yogh;er of his regne.
17 And the king
loouede hir more than alle the wymmen,
and she hadde grace and mercy befor
hym ouer alle the wymmen; and he putte
the diademe of the reume vp on hir hed,
and he made her to regnen in the stede
of Vasthi.
18 And he comaundide a ful
glorious feste to be maad redi to alle the
princis and to his seruauns, for the coupling
and the bridalis of Ester; and he
&yogh;af reste to alle prouyncis, and grauntide
large &yogh;iftis aftir principal gret doing.
19 And whan the seconde maidenes weren
so&yogh;t, and gedered togidere, Mardoche
dwelte at the kingis &yogh;ate.
20 And &yogh;it not
Ester hadde told out the kuntre and hir
puple, after the heste of hym; what euere
thing forsothe he comaundide, Ester kepte
wel, and so alle thingus she dide, as she
was wont that tyme, that he nurshide
hir a litil child.
21 That time thanne that
Mardoche at the kingus &yogh;ate dwelte, ben
wrothe Bagathan and Thares, two geldingis
of the king, that weren porteres,
and in the firste entre of the paleis
dwelten; and wolden a&yogh;en risen in to the
king, and slen hym.
22 The whiche thing
was not vnknowen to Mardoche, and anoon
he tolde to quen Ester, and she to the
king, of name of Mardoche, that to hir
the thing hadde told.
23 It is so&yogh;t, and is
founde, and either of hem is hangid in the
iebet; and it is comaundid to the stories,
and taken to the bokis of &yogh;eris deedis,
befor the king.
-- --
CAP. III.
Aftir these thingus king Assuer enhauncide
Aaman, the sone of Amadathi,
that was of the linage of Agag, and
putte his sete ouer alle the princis that
he hadde.
2 And alle the seruauns of
the king, that withinne the paleis &yogh;atis
dwelten, boweden kne, and honoureden
Aaman; so forsothe the emperour hadde
comaundid to hem; onli Mardoche bowede
not kne, ne honourede hym.
3 To
whom seiden the childer of the king, that
to the &yogh;atis of the paleys seten before,
Whi beside other men thou kepist not
the hestis of the king?
4 Whan these
thingus more often thei seiden, and he
wolde not heren, thei tolden to Aman,
coueitende to witen, whether he wolde
stonde stedefast in the sentence; forsothe
he hadde seid to them, hym to ben a Jew.
5 The whiche thing whan Aman hadde
herd, and bi experience proued, that Mardoche
bowide not kne to hym, ne honourede,
he is wroth ful gretli,
6 and for
no&yogh;t tolde in to Mardoche on to putte
hondis; forsothe he hadde herd, that he
was of Jew kinrede, and more wolde
leesen al the nacioun of Jewis, that weren
-- --
in the reume of Assuer.
7 The firste
moneth, whos name is Nysan, the twelfthe
&yogh;er of the regne of Assuer, lot is leid in
to a vessel, that Ebruli is seid fur, beforn
Aman, what dai and what moneth
the folc of Jewis shulde be slayn; and
the twelfthe moneth wente out, that is
clepid Adar.
8 And Aman seide to king
Assuer, Ther is a puple bi alle the
prouyncis of thi reume scaterid, and fro
themself togidere seuered, newe vsende
lawis and cerimoynes, ferthermor and the
statutis of the king dispisende; and best
thou hast knowen, that is spedeth not to
thi reume, that ouercustomed it waxe
proud bi leeue.
9 If to thee it plese, deme
that it pershe, and ten thousend of talentis
I shal lei to tresories of thi richesse.
10 Thanne the king toc of his hond
the ring that he vside, and &yogh;af it to the
enemys of Jewys, Aman, sone of Amadathi,
of the kinrede of Agag.
11 And he
seide to hym, The siluer that thou behotist,
be thin; of the puple do that to
thee plesith.
12 And the scribis of the king
ben clepid the firste moneth of Nysan,
the threttenthe dai of the same moneth;
and it is writen, as Aman hadde comaundid,
to alle the satrapis of the king,
and domysmen of dyuerse prouyncis and
folkis, that alle folc my&yogh;ten rede and
heren, for the diuersite of tungis, of the
name of king Assuer. And the lettris
13 selid with his ring ben sent bi the corouris
of the king to alle his prouyncis,
that thei shulde slen and don awei alle
the Jewis, fro child vn to old man, litle
childer and wymmen, o dai, that is, the
-- --
threttenthe dai of the twelfthe moneth,
that is clepid Adar, that is, March; and
ther goodis thei shulden forfeten.
14 The
sentence forsothe of the epistelis was
this, that alle prouyncis shulden knowe,
and go themself to the forseide dai. And
thei, that weren sent, hee&yogh;eden to fulfillen
out the heste of the king; and
anoon in Susis heeng the maundement
fro the king, and Aman solempneli makende
a feste, and alle the Jewis, that in
the cite weren, wepende.
CAP. IV.
1 The whiche thingis whan Mardocheus
hadde herd, he cutte his clothis, and is
clad with a sac, sprengende askis to his
hed, and in the strete of the myddil cite
with gret vois criede, shewende the bitternesse
of his inwit,
2 and with this weping
vnto the &yogh;atis of the paleis goende;
forsothe it was not leful a man clad
with a sac to entre the kingis halle.
3 Also in alle prouyncis, bur&yogh; townes, and
placis, to the whiche the cruel bidding
of the king hadde ful comyn, gret weiling
was anentis the Jewis fastende, and
&yogh;ellende, and wepende, manye men vsende
for bed sac and askis.
4 Forsothe the
childer wymmen of Ester, and the geldingus,
wenten in, and tolden to hir; the
whiche herende is stoneid, and sente a
cloth, that the sac don awei, he shulde
clothin hym; the whiche taken he wolde
not.
5 And Athac, gelding, clepid, whom
the king hadde &yogh;iue to hir seruaunt, she
-- --
comaundide, that he shulde go to Mardoche,
and lernen of hym, whi that thing
he dide.
6 And Athac gon out, wente to
Mardoche stondende in the strete of the
cyte, beforn the dore of the paleis;
7 the
whiche shewide to hym alle thingus that
hadden falle, hou Aman hadde behoten,
that he shulde bringe siluer in to the
tresories of the king for the Jewis deth.
8 Also the saumple of the maundement,
that heeng in Susis, he &yogh;af to hym, that
to the quen he shulde shewen, and
warnen hir, that she go in to the king,
and pre&yogh;e hym for hir puple.
9 And
Athac, gon out, tolde Ester alle thingus,
that Mardoche hadde seid.
10 The whiche
answerde to hym, and seide, that he
shulde sey to Mardoche,
11 Alle the seruauns
of the king, and alle prouyncis
that ben vnder his comaunding, knowen,
that outher man or womman not clepid
entre the innermor porche of the king,
withoute a&yogh;een cleping anoon he be
slain, but if perauenture the king the
goldene &yogh;erde to hym strecche for signe
of mercy, and so he may lyuen; I thanne
what maner shal moun entre to the king,
that now thretti da&yogh;is am not clepid to
hym?
12 The whiche thing whan Mardoche
hadde herd,
13 eft he sente to Ester, seiende,
Ne wene thou, that thi lif onli thou deliuere,
for in the hous of the king thou art,
for alle Jewis;
14 if thou holde thi pes, bi
an other ocasioun the Jewis shul be deliuered,
and thou and the hous of thi fader
shul pershen; and who knew, whether
therfore to the reume thou came, that
in such a time thou shuldest be redi?
15 And eft Ester these woordis sente to
Mardoche,
16 Go, and gedere alle the Jewis,
that in Susis thou findist, and pre&yogh;eth
-- --
for me; ne eteth, ne drinkith thre da&yogh;es
and thre ny&yogh;t, and I with myn hond
wymmen lic maner shal fasten; and
thanne not clepid I shal gon in to the
king, a&yogh;en the lawe doende, takende me
to deth and to perile.
17 And so Mardoche
wente, and dide alle thingus, that Ester
hadde comaundid to hym.
CAP. V.
1 Forsothe the thridde dai Ester was
clad with kingus clothis, and stod in the
porche of the kingus hous, that was withinne
forth a&yogh;en the kingis hous; and
he sat vp on his see, in the constorie of
the paleis, a&yogh;en the dore of the hous.
2 And whan he hadde seen Ester, the
quen, stondende, she pleside to his e&yogh;en,
and he stra&yogh;te out a&yogh;en hir a goldene
&yogh;erde, that he heeld with hond; the
whiche ne&yogh;hende kiste the ouermor of
his &yogh;erde.
3 And the kyng seide to hir,
What wilt thou, quen Ester? what is
thin asking? Also if the half part of the
reume thou aske, it shal ben &yogh;iue to thee.
4 And she answerde, If to the king it plese,
I beseche, that thou come to me to dai,
and Aman with thee, to the feste, that
I haue greithid.
5 And anoon the king,
Clepeth, he seith, Aman anon, that he
obeshe to the wil of Ester. And so the
king and Aman camen to the feste, that
the quen hadde maad redi to hem.
6 And
the king seide to hir, after that he hadde
drunke win plenteuously; What askist
thou, that be &yogh;iue to thee, and for what
thing pre&yogh;ist thou? Also if the half part
of my reume thou aske, thou shalt gete.
-- --
7 To whom answerde Ester, Myn asking
and my pre&yogh;eeris ben these.
8 If I haue
founde grace in the si&yogh;te of the king, and
if to the king it plese, that he &yogh;iue to me
that I pre&yogh;e fore, and fulfille myn asking,
come the king and Aman to the
feste, that I haue maad redi to hem; and
to morn I shal opene to the king my wil.
9 And so Aman wente out that dai glad
and merie. And whan he hadde seen
Mardoche sittende at the &yogh;atis of the
paleis, and not onli not to han rise to
hym, but ne moued forsothe of the place
of his sitting, he endeynede gretli;
10 and
the wrathe feyned, turnede a&yogh;een in to
his hous, clepide to gidere to hym frendis,
and Sares,
11 his wif, and expounede to
hem the mychilnesse of his richessis, and
the cumpanye of sones, and with `hou
myche glorie vp on alle the princis and
his seruauns the king hym hadde rerid.
12 And after these thingus he seith, The
quen also Ester noon other man clepeth
with the king to the feste, saue me, anent
whom also to morn with the king I am
to ete.
13 And whan alle these thingus I
haue, no thing I wene me to han, as longe
as I see Mardoche, Jeu, sittende at the
kingis &yogh;atis.
14 And Sares, his wif, and
othere frendis answerden, Comaunde to ben
maad redi an hei&yogh; bem, hauende of hei&yogh;te
fifti cubitis; and sei erli to the king, that
Mardoche be hangid vp on it; and so
thou shalt go with the king glad to the
feste.
15 And the counseil pleside, and he
comaundide to be maad redi an hei&yogh; cros.
-- --
CAP. VI.
1 That ny&yogh;t the king ladde withoute slep,
and he comaundide to be bro&yogh;t to hym
stories, and the bokis of &yogh;eris deedis of
rathere times. The whiche thingus whan,
hym present,
2 weren rad, it is come to
that place, wher was write, hou Mardoche
hadde told the aspies of Gabathan
and Thares, geldingis, coueitende to sle
king Assuer.
3 The whiche thing whan
the king hadde herd, he seith, What for
this feith of wrshipe or of mede Mardoche
hath goten? And his seruans and
mynestres seiden to hym, No thing of
mede vtterli he toc.
4 And anoon the king,
Who is, he seith, in the porche? Aman
forsothe wente in the innere porche of
the kingus hous, that he make suggestioun
to the king, that he comaunde
Mardoche to be ficchid on the iebet, that
to hym was maad redi beforn.
5 And the
childer answerden, Aman stant in the
porche. And the king seide, Come he in.
6 And whan he was comyn, he seide to
hym, What owith to be do to the man,
whom the king desireth to honouren?
Aman thenkende in his herte, and trowende,
that noon other man but hym the
king wolde honouren,
7 answerde, The man,
whom the king coueitith to honouren,
owith to be clad with kingus clothis,
8
and to be put vpon an hors that is of
the kingus sadil, and to take the kingus
diademe vp on his hed;
9 and the firste of
the kingus princis and kny&yogh;tis holde his
hors, and bi the stretis of the cite goende,
crie he, and seie, Thus shal ben honoured,
whom euere the king wile honoure.
10 And
so the king seide to hym, Hee&yogh;e, and,
-- --
the stole taken and an hors, do, as thou
hast spoke, to Mardoche, Jew, that sit
befor the &yogh;atis of the paleis; bewar, lest
any thing of tho, that thou hast spoken,
thou leue of.
11 And so Aman toc a stole
and an hors, and Mardoche clad in the
strete of the cite, and set vp on the hors,
wente beforn, and criede, This wrshipe
he is wrthi, whom euere the king wile
honoure.
12 And Mardoche is turned a&yogh;een
to the &yogh;ate of the paleys, and Aman
hee&yogh;ede to gon in to his hous, weilende,
and the hed couered.
13 And he tolde to
Sari, his wif, and to frendis, alle thingus
that hadden falle to hym. To whom answerden
the wise men, whom he hadde
in counseil, and his wif, If of the sed of
Jewis is Mardoche, befor whom thou
begunne to fallen, thou shalt not moun
withstonde to hym, but thou shalt falle
in his si&yogh;t.
14 &YOGH;it hem spekende, the geldingis
of the king camen, and anon hym
to the feste, that the quen hadde maad
redi, thei constreyneden to gon.
CAP. VII.
1 And so the king cam in and Aman
to the feste, that thei shulde drinke with
the quen.
2 And the king seide to hir
also in the seconde day, aftir that he was
chaufid with wyn, What is thin asking,
Ester, that it be &yogh;iue to thee, and what
wilt thou to be do? Also if the half part
of my reume thou aske, thou shalt gete.
3 To whom she answerd, If I haue founde
grace in thin e&yogh;en, O! king, and if to
thee it plese, &yogh;if to me my lif, for the
-- --
whiche I pre&yogh;e, and my puple, for the
whiche I beseche.
4 Forsothe wee ben
taken, I and my puple, that wee be totreden,
slain, and pershen; and wolde God
in to thrallis and thrallessis wee were
sold, and it were tolerable euel, and
weilende I shulde holden my pes; now
forsothe oure enemy is, whos cruelte
reboundeth in to the king.
5 And king
Assuer answerende seith, Who is he
this, and of what power, that these
thingus he be hardi to do?
6 And Ester
seide, Enemy and oure werste enemy is
this Aman. The whiche thing he herende
anoon stone&yogh;ede, not suffrende to bern the
chere of the king and of the quen.
7 Forsothe
the king ros wroth, and fro the
place of the feste wente in to a &yogh;erd set
with trees. Also Aman ros for to pre&yogh;en
Ester, the quen, for his lif; forsothe he
vnderstod euel maad redi to hym of the
king.
8 The whiche whan was comen
a&yogh;een fro the &yogh;erd set with wodis, and
he hadde comyn in to the place of the
feste, he fond Aman vpon the bed to han
fallen doun, in the whiche lai Ester; and
seith, Also the quen he wile opresse, me
present, in myn hous. Ne &yogh;it the woord
of the kingus mouth hadde gon out, and
anon couereden his face the seruauns of
the king.
9 And Arbona, oon of the geldingus
that stoden in the seruyse of the
king, seide, Lo! the tree that he hadde
maad redi to Mardoche, that spac for
the king, stant in the hous of Aman,
hauende of hei&yogh;te fifti cubitis. To whom
seide the king, Hangeth hym in it.
10 And
so Aman is hangid in the iebet, that he
-- --
hadde maad redi to Mardoche, and the
kingis wrathe restide.
CAP. VIII.
1 That dai king Assuer &yogh;af to Ester, the
quen, the hous of Aman, aduersarie of
Jewis. And Mardoche wente in befor
the face of the king; Ester forsothe
knoulechide to hym, that he was hir
em.
2 And so the king toc the ring, the
whiche of Aman he hadde comaundid to
be resceiued, and toc to Mardoche. Ester
forsothe sette Mardoche vp on hir hous.
3 Ne with these thingus pa&yogh;ed, she fel doun
at the feet of the king, and wepte, and
spac to hym, and pre&yogh;ede, that the malice
of Aman Agachite, and his werste castis,
that he hadde tho&yogh;t out a&yogh;en the Jewis,
he comaunde to be maad voide.
4 And
he of maner the kingus goldene septre
strau&yogh;te out with the hond, with the
whiche a tocne of the kingys mercy was
shewid. And so she risende stod before
hym,
5 and seith, If it plese to the king,
and if I haue founde grace in his e&yogh;en,
and my pre&yogh;eere be not seen to ben contrarie
to hym, I beseche, that with newe
epistelis the olde lettris of Aman, spiere
and enemye of Jewis, with the whiche
he hadde comaundid them to pershen in
alle the kingus prouyncis, be mendid;
6 hou
forsothe shal I moun suffre the deth and
the sla&yogh;ter of my puple?
7 And king Assuer
answerde to Ester, the quen, and to
Mardoche, Jew, The hous of Aman I haue
grauntid to Ester, the quen, and hym I
haue comaundid to be ficchid on the cros,
for he was hardi to putte hond in to the
Jewis.
8 Thanne writeth to the Jewis, as
-- --
it plesith to &yogh;ou, in the kingus name,
selende the lettris with my ring. Forsothe
this was the custum, that to the
epistolis, the whiche of the kingus name
weren sent, and weren selid with his
ring, no man shulde ben hardi to withseyn.
9 And the scribis and the librarijs
of the king clepid; forsothe time was of
the thridde moneth, that is clepid Ciban,
that is, June, the thre and twentithe dai
of it; ben write the epistolis, as Mardoche
wolde, to the Jewis, and to the princis,
and procuratoures, and iugis, that in an
hundrid and seuene and twenti prouyncis,
fro Ynde vnto Ethiope, befor seten, to prouynce
and prouynce, to puple and puple,
aftir tungis and ther lettris, and to the
Jewis, that thei my&yogh;te reden and heren.
10 And tho epistolis, that in the kingus name
wer sent, with his ring ben selid, and
sent bi messageris, that bi alle the prouyncis
rennende shulde come before the
olde lettris with the newe messageris.
11 To whom the king comaundide, that thei
shulden gadere togidere the Jewis bi alle
the cites, and thei shulden comaunden in
oon to be gedered, that thei stonde for
ther liues; and alle their enemys, with
ther wiues and fre childer, and alle
ther housis, thei shulden slen, and don
awei.
12 And ther is set bi alle prouyncis
o dai of veniaunce, that is, the
threttenthe dai of Adar, the twelfthe
moneth.
13 And the shorte sentence of the
epistil was this, that in alle londis and
puplis, the whiche vnderle&yogh;en to the empire
of king Assuer, it shulde be maad
knowen, Jewis to be redi to be take
veniaunce of ther enemys.
14 And ther
wenten out messageris, berende beforn
messagis; and the maundement of the king
-- --
heng in Susis.
15 Mardoche forsothe of the
paleis and of the si&yogh;te of the king goende
out, schynede in kingis clothis, iacinctine,
that is, and of eir colour, berende a
goldene coroun in the hed, and wrappid
with a silkene pal and purper; and al
the cite ful out io&yogh;ede, and is glad.
16 Forsothe
to the Jewis is seen to ben sprungen
a newe li&yogh;t, io&yogh;e, wrshiping, and dauncing,
anentis alle puplis,
17 cites, and alle
prouyncis, whider euere the kingus maundemens
camen, merueilouse out io&yogh;ingis,
metys plenteuous, and festis, and feste
da&yogh;es, in so myche, that manye of the
tother folc and sect to ther religioun
and cerimoynes weren ioyned; gret forsothe
drede of Jewis name alle men
hadde asalid.
CAP. IX.
1 Thanne of the twelfthe moneth, whom
Adar to be clepid now beforn wee seiden,
the threttenthe day, whanne to alle the
Jewis sla&yogh;ter was greithid, and enemys
waiteden to the blod of hem, the while
turned, the Jewis begunne to ben ouer
hei&yogh;ere, and hem of the aduersaries to
venge.
2 And ther ben gedered bi alle
cites, bur&yogh; tounys, and placis, that thei
shulde strecchen out hond a&yogh;en enemys
and ther pursueris; and no man was
hardi to withstonde, for thi that the fer
of the gretnesse of hem alle puplis hadde
persid.
3 For and of prouyncis the iugis,
dukis, and procuratoures, and al dignete,
that to alle placis and werkis weren beforn,
ful out enhauncide the Jewis, for
drede of Mardoche,
4 whom to be prince
of the paleis and of myche power thei
-- --
knewen; also the fame of his name wex
eche dai, and bi the mouthis of alle men
ofte flei&yogh;.
5 And so the Jewis smyten ther
enemys with a gret veniaunce, and slowen
hem, &yogh;eldende to hem that thei to them
hadden maad redi to do,
6 in so miche,
that also in Susis fiue hundrid men thei
slowen, with oute the ten sonys of Aman
Agagite, enemy of the Jewis, of whom
these ben the namys;
7 Fasondatha, Delfon,
and Esfata,
8 and Forata, and Dalia,
and Aridatha,
9 and Efermesta, and Arisai,
and Aridai, and Vaisatha.
10 Whom whan
thei hadde slain, thei wolden not pursue
praies of the substauncis of hem.
11 And
anon the noumbre of hem, that weren
slain in Susis, is told to the king.
12 The
whiche seide to the quen, In the cite of
Susis the Jewis slowen fiue hundrid men,
and othere ten sones of Aman; hou
myche sla&yogh;ter wenest thou them to enhaunten
in alle prouyncis? what more
askist thou? and what wilt thou, that I
comaunde to be don?
13 To whom she ansuerde,
If to the king it plese, be ther
&yogh;iue power to the Jewis, that as thei
diden to day in Susis, so and do thei to
morn, and the ten sones of Aman be
thei hangid in iebetis.
14 And the king
comaundide, that so it shulde be do; and
anon in Susis heeng a maundement, and
the ten sonus of Aman ben hangid.
15 The
Jewis gederede togidere, the fourtenthe
dai of the monyth of Adar, and ther
be slain in Susis thre hundrid men, ne
ther substaunce fro them is raueshid
awei.
16 But and bi alle the prouyncis,
that vnder le&yogh;en to the maundement of
the king, the Jewis stoden for ther liues,
the enemys slain and ther pursueris, in
so miche, that fiue and seuenti thousend
of slaine men weren fulfild, and no man
-- --
of ther substaunce any thing touchide.
17 Forsothe the threttenthe dai of the
monyth Adar was of o sla&yogh;ter anentis
alle, and the fourtenthe dai thei lafte to
slen; whom thei ordeyneden to be solempne,
that in that time eche &yogh;er therafter
thei shulden voiden to plenteuous
metis, and to io&yogh;e, and to festis.
18 And
these, that in the cite of Susys hadden
hauntid the sla&yogh;ter, the threttenthe and
the fourtenthe dai of the same moneth
ben ocupied in the sla&yogh;ter. The fiftenthe
forsothe dai thei laften to smyte; and
therfore the same dai thei ordeyneden
solempne of plenteuous metis and of
gladnesse.
19 These forsothe Jewis, that
in bur&yogh; tounys not wallid and tounes
duelten, the fourtenthe daie of the
moneth of Adar, of festis, and of io&yogh;e
demeden, so that thei ful out gladen in
it, and senden to hemself togidere partis
of plentes and of metis.
20 And so Mardoche
wrot alle these thingus, and comprehendid
in lettris sente to the Jewis,
that in alle the prouyncis of the king
dwelten,
21 bothe in nee&yogh;h set and afer, that
the fourtenthe and the fiftenthe dai of
the moneth of Adar thei shulden take
for festis, and euermor, the &yogh;er turnende
a&yogh;een, with solempne wrshipe thei shulden
halewe;
22 for in tho da&yogh;is the Jewis
vengide them of ther enemys, and weiling
and sorewe in to io&yogh;e and gladnesse
ben turned; and these da&yogh;es shulde ben
da&yogh;es of plenteuous metis, and of gladnesse,
and thei shulden sende to themself
partis togidere of the metis, and to
pore men thei shulden graunt litle &yogh;iftis.
23 Forsothe the Jewis token in to a solempne
custum alle thingus, that thei
hadde begunne that time to do, and that
-- --
Mardoche in lettris hadde sent to be do.
24 Aman forsothe, the sone of Amadathi,
stoc of Agag, enemy and aduersarie of
Jewis, tho&yogh;te a&yogh;en hem euel, that he
shulde sle them and don awei, and leide
fur, that in oure tunge is turned in to lot.
25 And afterward Ester wente in to the
king, besechende, that his ententis with
the lettris of the king shulden be maad
voide, and the euel, that a&yogh;en Jewis he
hadde tho&yogh;t, shulde be turned a&yogh;een in to
his hed. Afterward and hym and his
sonus thei ficcheden to the cros.
26 And
fro that time these da&yogh;is be clepid Furim,
that is, of lotis, forthi that fur, that is,
lot, in to a pot was put; and alle thingus
that ben don ben contened in the volume
of the epistil, that is, of this boc;
27 alle
thingus that thei suffreden, and that
ther after ben chaungid, Jewis and
ther sed token vp on hem, and vp on
alle that wolden to ther religioun be
couplid, that to no man it be leful these
two da&yogh;es with oute solempnete to ouerpasse,
whom scripture witnesseth, and
othere tymes asken, the &yogh;eres to themself
continueli comende aftir other.
28 These
ben the da&yogh;is, whom neuer any for&yogh;eting
shal don awei, and bi sunder ieneraciouns
alle prouyncis, that in alle the
world ben, shuln halewen; ne ther is
any cite, in the whiche da&yogh;is of Furim,
that is, of lotis, be not kept of the
Jewis, and of ther progenye, that with
these cerimoynes is oblisht.
29 And Ester,
quen, the do&yogh;tir of Abihael, and Mardoche,
Jeu, writen also the secounde
epistil, that with alle besynesse this dai
solempneli shulde ben halewid ther afterward.
30 And thei sente to the Jewis,
that in an hundrid and seuene and twenti
-- --
prouyncis of king Assuer dwelten, that
thei shulden han pes, and resceyue treuthe,
kepende wel the da&yogh;es of lotis,
31 and in
ther tyme with io&yogh;e shulden halewe; as
hadden ordeyned Mardoche and Ester,
thei to be kept hadden taken, of hemself
and of ther sed, fastingis, and clamoures,
and da&yogh;es of lotis,
32 and alle thingus that
ben contened in the storie of this boc,
that is clepid Ester.
CAP. X.
1 King forsothe Assuer al the lond and
alle the ilis of the se made tributaries;
2 whos strengthe and empire and dignete
and hei&yogh;nesse, that he enhauncide Mardoche
in, ben writen in the bokis of
Medis and of Persis;
3 and hou Mardoche
of Jeu kinrede were the secounde fro
king Assuer, and gret anentis the Jewis,
and acceptable to the folc of ther brethern,
sechende goodis to his puple,
and spekende tho thingus, that to the pes
of his sed shulden pertene. The whiche
ben had in Ebru in pleyn feith I expressede;
these thingus forsothe, that
folewen, I fond write in the comun
making, the whiche in Grekis tunge
and lettris ben contened; and eft after
the ende of the boc this chapitre was
seid, that after oure consuetude with
obelo, that is, with `a stric, wee han befor
notid.
4 And Mardoche seide, Of God
these thingus ben don.
5 I am recordid of
a sweuene, that I sa&yogh;, magnefiende these
same thingus, ne of tho any thing was
voide.
6 A litil welle, that grew in to a
flod, and in to li&yogh;t and sunne is turned,
-- --
and in to manye watris reboundide, is
Ester, that the king toc wif, and wolde
to be quen.
7 Two forsothe dragounes, I
am and Aman;
8 the folc that camen togidere,
these ben, that enforceden to don
awei the name of Jewis.
9 Forsothe my
folc is Irael, that criede to the Lord; and
the Lord made saaf his puple, and deliuerede
vs fro alle euelis, and made grete
signes and wondris among the Jentilis;
and comaundide two lotis to ben,
10 oon of
the puple of God, and an other of alle
Jentilis.
11 And either lot cam in to the
set dai befor God now fro that time to
alle Jentilis.
12 And the Lord recordide of
his puple, and rewide of his eritage.
13 And
these da&yogh;es shul be kept in the moneth
of Adar, the fourtenthe and the fiftenthe
dai of the same moneth, with alle bisynesse
and io&yogh;e of the puple gedered in to
o cumpanye, in to alle ther aftirward
ieneraciouns of the puple of Irael.
CAP. XI.
1 The ferthe &yogh;er, regnende Ptholome and
Cleopatra, Dositheus, that a prest and of
Leuy kinrede seide hymself to be, and
Ptholome, his sone, bro&yogh;ten this epistil
of furim, the whiche thei seiden, Silimacum,
the sone of Ptholome, in Jerusalem
to han remened. This forsothe was the
begynnyng in the comun translacioun,
that nouther in Ebru, ne anent any of
the remenours is told.
2 The secounde
&yogh;er, regnyng Artaxerse the moste, the
firste dai of the moneth Nysan, Mardoche,
the sone of Jari, sone of Semei,
sone of Cis, of the linage of Beniamyn,
a man Jeu,
3 that dwelte in the cite of
-- --
Susis, a gret man, and among the firste
of the kingus halle, sa&yogh; a sweuene.
4 Forsothe
he was of the noumbre of caityues,
whom Nabugodonosor, king of Babiloyne,
hadde translatid fro Jerusalem with Jeconye,
king of Jude.
5 And this was his
sweuene. There semeden voisis, and noisis,
and thundris, and erthe quaues, and disturbing
vp on the erthe.
6 And lo! two
grete dragounes, redi a&yogh;en hemself in to
bataile;
7 at whos cri alle naciouns ben
stirid togidere, that thei fi&yogh;te a&yogh;en the
folc off ri&yogh;twis men.
8 And that dai was of
derenessis, and of perile, of tribulacioun,
and of anguysh, and gret fer vp on erthe.
9 And disturbid is the folc of ri&yogh;twis men,
dredende ther euelis, and maad redi to
the deth.
10 Thei crieden to God; and hem
criende out, a litle welle wex in to the
moste flod, and in to manye watris redundede.
11 Li&yogh;t and the sunne is sprungen;
and meke men ben enhauncid,
and thei deuoureden the gloriouse.
12 The
whiche thing whan Mardoche hadde seen,
and risen of the bed, he tho&yogh;te, what God
wolde do, and ficchid he hadde in the
inwit, coueitende to wite, what the sueuene
shulde betocne.
CAP. XII.
1 Forsothe he dwelte that time in the
halle of the king, with Bagatha and
Thara, geldingus of the king, that porteris
weren of the paleis.
2 And whan he
hadde vnderstonde the tho&yogh;tis of hem,
and the besynessis mor diligentli hadde
seen before, he lernede that thei enforciden
to putten hond in to king Artaxersen,
and tolde vp on it to the king.
-- --
3 The which, of either questioun had confessid,
he comaundede to ben had to deth.
4 The king forsothe that was don, wrot
in librarijes, but and Mardoche the mynde
of the thing toc to lettris.
5 And the king
comaundide to hym, that in the halle of
the paleis he shulde duelle, &yogh;iftis &yogh;iue to
hym for the telling.
6 Aman forsothe, the
sone of Amadathy, gelding, was most
glorious befor the king, and wolde no&yogh;en
to Mardoche, and his puple, for the two
geldingus of the king that weren slain.
Hider to the prohemy; thoo thingus,
that folewen, in that place weren put,
wher is write in the volume, And thei
wasteden the goodis or ther substauncis;
the whiche onli in the comun translacioun
we han founden. Of the epistil
forsothe this was the saumpler.
CAP. XIII.
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