A   Quene Esther also beynge in the battayll of death, resorted vnto the Lorde, layed awaye her gloryous apparell, and put on the garmentes that serued for syghth&ibar;ge and mournynge. In the steade of precions oyntment, she scatered asshes and donge vp&obar; her head: and as for her body, she humbled it wyth fastynge, and brought it very lowe. All þe; places where she was wonte to haue ioye afore, those fylled she with þe; hearre, þt; she plucte of her selfe. She prayed also vnto the Lorde God of Israell wyth these wordes.

O my Lorde, thou onely art oure kynge, helpe me desolate woman, whych haue no helper but the, for my misery and destrucci&obar; is harde at my h&abar;de. Fro my youth vp I haue herde oute of þe; kynred of my father, that thou tokest Israel from amonge all people (∧ so haue oure fathers of their fore elders) þt; they shulde be thy perpetuall inherita&ubar;ce, and loke what thou didest promise th&ebar;, thou hast made it good vnto them.

B   Now Lorde, we haue synned before the, therfore hast thou geuen vs into the handes of oure enemyes, because we worshypped theyr goddes. Lorde, thou art ryghteous. Neuertheles it satisfieth them not, that we are in bytter and heuy captiuite and oppressed amonge them, but thou hast layed theyr handes vpon the handes of theyr goddes: so that they begynne to take awaye, þe; thyng that thou with thy mouth hast ordened and appoynted, to destroye thyne inheritaunce, to shut and to stoppe þe; mouthes of th&ebar; that prayse the, to quench the glory ∧ worshyp of thy house and thine aulter, and to open þe; mouthes of the Heathen, þt; they may prayse the power and vertue of the goddes, and to magnifie the fleshly kynge for euer.

C   O Lord, geue not thy scepter vnto them that be nothing, lest they laugh vs to scorne in oure mysery ∧ fall: but turne theyr deuice vp&obar; them selues, and punish him, that hath beg&obar;ne the same ouer vs, and sett him to an example. Thyncke vpon vs O Lorde, and shew thy selfe vnto vs in the tyme of oure distres and of oure trouble. Str&ebar;gth me O thou kynge of Goddes, thou Lord of all power, geue me an eloquent ∧ pleasa&ubar;t speach in my mouth before the Lyon. Turne hys hert into þe; hate of oure enemye, to destroye him, and all soch as consent vnto hym. But deliuer vs with thy hande, and helpe me thy hand mayde, which haue no defence ner helper but onely the. Lorde, thou knowest all thynges, þu; wotest that I loue not the glory and worshyp of the vnryghteous, and that I hate and abhorre the bed of the vncircumcysed and of all Heathen.

Thou knowest my necessite, that I hate the token of my preeminence and worshipp, which I beare vpon my head, what time as I must shew my self and be sene, and that I abhorre it as an vncleane cloth, and that I weare it not when I am quyete and alone by my selfe. Thou knowest also that I thy hande mayden haue not eaten at Am&abar;s table, and that I haue had no pleasure nor delyte

in the Kynges feaste, that I haue not dr&obar;cke the wyne of the drinckoffringes, and that I thy h&abar;de mayden haue no ioye sence the daye that I was brought hyther, vnto this daye, but onely in the O Lord. O thou God of Abrah&abar;, O þu; mightie God aboue al, heare the voyce of them, þt; haue none other hope, and deliuer vs out of the hande of the wicked, and deliuer me out of my feare.

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