A    ^noteThe greate kynge Artaxerses which raigneth from India vnto Ethiopia, ouer an hundreth and seuen and tw&ebar;tye londes, sendeth his frendly salutacion vnto all the prynces and debytes of the countrees, which be subiecte vnto his dominion. Whan I was made lorde ouer many people, and had subdued the whole earth vnto my dominion, my mynde was not with crueltye and wronge to exalte myself by the reason of my power: but purposed &wt; equyte allwaye and gentylnes, to gouerne those that be vnder my iuri&esset;diccion, and wholy to set them in a peaceable life, and therby to brynge my kingdome vnto tranquylite, that men might safely go thorow on euery syde, and to renue peace agayne, which all men desyre. B   Now whan I axed my councelers, how these thines might be brought to a good ende, there was one by vs, excell&ebar;t in wy&esset;dome, whose good wyll, trueth ∧ faithfulnes hath oft bene shewed ∧ proued (which was also þe; pryncipall ∧ next vnto þe; k&ibar;ge) Am&abar; by name, which certified vs, how þt; in all l&obar;des there was crepte in a rebellious folke, þt; made statutes ∧ lawes agaynst all other people, ∧ haue allwaye despysed the proclamed commaundementes of kynges: and how that for this cause it were not to be suffred, that soch rule shulde contynue by you ∧ not to be put downe. Seinge now we perceaue the same, that this people alone are contrary vnto euery man, C   vsynge straunge and other maner of lawes, ∧ withstonde oure statutes and doinges, and go aboute to stablish shrewd matters, that oure kyngdome shulde neuer come to good estate and stedfastnes: Therfore haue we comma&ubar;ded, that all they that are appoynted in wrytinge and shewed vnto you by Aman (which is ordened and set ouer all oure busynes, and the most pryncipall next vnto the kynge, and in maner as a father) shal with their wiues ∧ children be destroyed and roted out with the swerde of their enemies and aduersaries: ∧ þt; there shalbe no mercy shewed, ∧ no man spared. And this shalbe done þe; xiiij. daye of the moneth called Adar) of this yeare, that they which of olde (and now also) haue euer bene rebellious, maye in one daye with violence be thrust downe in to the hell, to the int&ebar;t that after this maner, oure empyre maye haue peace and tranquylite.

D   But Mardocheus thought vpon all the workes and noble actes of þe; LORDE, ∧ made his prayer vnto him, sayenge: O LORDE LORDE, thou valeaunt and allmightie kynge (for all thinges are in thy power, and yf thou wilt helpe and delyuer Israel, there is no m&abar; that can withst&obar;de ner lett the: for thou hast made heauen ∧ earth, and what wonderous thinge so euer is vnder the heauen: thou art LORDE of all thinges, and there is no man, þt; can resist the O LORDE) Thou knowest all thinges, thou wotest LORDE, that it was nether of malyce, ner presumpcion, ner for eny desyre of glory, that I wolde not bowe downe myself ner worshipe yonder proude presumptuous Aman (for I wolde haue bene c&obar;tent, and þt; with good wyll, yf it might haue done Israel eny good, to haue kyst eu&ebar; his fotesteppes) but that I dyd it, because I wolde not sett the honoure of a m&abar; in the steade of the glorye of God, and because I wolde worshipe none but onely þe; my LORDE. E   And this haue I done in no pryde ner presumpcion.

And therfore O LORDE thou God and kinge, haue mercy vpon thy people for they ymagyn how they maye bringe vs to naught, yee their mynde and desyre is to destroye and to ouerthrowe the people, that hath euer bene thine enheritaunce of olde. O despyse not thy porci&obar;, which thou hast delyuered ∧ brought out of Egipte for thine owne self. Heare my prayer, and be mercifull vnto þi; people, wh&obar; thou hast chosen for an heretage vnto thyself. Turne oure complaynte and sorow in to ioye, that we maye lyue O LORDE, and prayse thy name. O LORDE, suffre not þe; mouthes of them that praise the, to be destroyed.

All þe; people of Israel in like maner cried as earnestly as they coude vnto the LORDE, for their death and destruccion stode before their eyes.

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